MORE 


CARGOES 


'-By 

JACOBS 


Author 


^'Kany  Cargoes  " 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


/- 


MORE  CARGOES 


MORE    CARGOES 


W.  W.   JACOBS 

AUTHOR  OF  "MAXY  CARGOES,"   "THE    SKIPPER'S    WOOIXG,"  ETC 


Fourth  Edition 


^ 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1897, 
By  W.   W.  JACOBS 

Copyright,  1897, 

By  the  bacheller  syndicate 

Copyright,  1898, 
By  FREDERICK  A  STOKES  COMPANY 


J  ^  /->? 


CONTENTS. 


PAGB 

Smoked  Skipper. p 

A  Safety  Match :^~?*:.^L 29 

A  Rash  Experiment -y^"' 48 

-CH^^'The  Cabin  Passenger. /^.^Tf^.  .ir?^..'#.:^v^rf.^.^l  yo^u'^ 

"  Choice  Spirits  "/. '."f /^T 80 

A  Disciplinarian ."T. .  Ht^.  V 106 

Brother  Hutchins. .  .vVh  .' .'. ... . :  ....^{.^.'^  ^f^rfit^"^ 

The  Disbursement  Sheet . ^ff. ^1^. .'>.-!<«'?. ^hi^.^:?nhf  ^^"^ ^^, 

Rule  of  Three 'X.'! .  l^C^f.  1 . .   143 

Pickled  Herring <r}'^.^rf??fPr:^.  .7.4^.  ?tXll7^.  h^^^i \f^<^  •^; 

yVVo  Two  of  a  Trade . . .  U.r:^.^:^:^^^.  /.7^:^f. 163 

%.  k^hx.  Intervention . <t^. frrr:^?^ ^J:^.  h^T^r/.W^.  ,'  183 
*IU(^1  The  Qrey  Parrot.  .^'f^Y.^^/^  /l\\  .T^V. .  ^^ff^j^fl'lltfT^.r'x^z  Uur^ 
^e^^'-Money  Changers.  .^«i»r. .  ^Mi.  fkO^ . . ..... .'."'."."':. ; . ;  .^21/''.  ''';^  - 

,  ,jjr.,The  Lost  Ship...  ■•.i^.^':^i ■.■.■;^ .%:::: 223  "''-^■^''  '' 


G5050S 


MORE    CARGOES 


SMOKED  SKIPPER 

"  Wapping  Old  Stairs  ?  "  said  the  rough  indi- 
vidual, shouldering  the  brand-new  sea-chest,  and 
starting  off  at  a  trot  with  it ;  "  yus,  I  know  the 
place,  captin.     Fust  v'y'ge,  sir  ?  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  my  hearty,"  replied  the  owner  of  the 
chest,  a  small,  ill-looking  lad  of  fourteen.  "  Not 
so  fast  with  those  timbers  of  yours.     D'ye  hear  ?  " 

"  All  right,  sir,"  said  the  man,  and,  slackening 
his  pace,  twisted  his  head  round  to  take  stock  of 
his  companion. 

"  This  ain't  your  fust  v'y'ge,  captin,"  he  said 
admiringly  ;  "  don't  tell  me.  I  could  twig  that 
directly  I  see  you.  Ho,  what's  the  use  o*  trying 
to  come  it  over  a  poor  'ard-working  man  like 
that  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  there's  much  about  the  sea  I 
don't  know,"  said  the  boy  in  a  satisfied  voice. 
"  Starboard,  starboard  your  helium  a  bit." 

The  man  obeying  promptly,  they  went  the  re- 

9 


lO  MORE   CARGOES 

mainder  of  the  distance  in  this  fashion,  to  the 
great  inconvenience  of  people  coming  from  the 
other  direction. 

"  And  a  cheap  'arf-crown's  worth,  too,  captin," 
said  the  man,  as  he  thoughtfully  put  the  chest 
down  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  and  sat  on  it  pend- 
ing payment. 

"  I  want  to  go  off  to  the  Siisa?t  Jane"  said  the 
boy,  turning  to  a  waterman  who  was  sitting  in  his 
boat,  holding  on  to  the  side  of  the  steps  with  his 
hand. 

"  All  right,"  said  the  man,  "  give  us  a  hold  o' 
your  box." 

"  Put  it  aboard,"  said  the  boy  to  the  other  man. 

"  A'  right,  captin,"  said  the  man,  with  a  cheer- 
ful smile,  "  but  I'll  'ave  my  'arf-crown  fust  if  you 
don't  mind." 

"  But  you  said  sixpence  at  the  station,"  said 
the  boy. 

"  Two  an'  sixpence,  captin,"  said  the  man,  still 
smiling,  "but  I'm  a  bit  'usky,  an*  p'raps  you 
didn't  hear  the  two — 'arf  a  crown's  the  regler  price. 
We  ain't  allowed  to  do  it  under." 

"  Well,  I  won't  tell  anybody,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Give  the  man  'is  'arf-crown,"  said  the  water- 
man, with  sudden  heat ;  "  that's  'is  price,  and  my 
fare's  eighteen  pence." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  boy  readily  ;  "  cheap  too. 
I  didn't  know  the  price,  that's  all.  But  I  can't 
pay  either  of  you  till  I  get  aboard.     I've  only  got 


SMOKED    SKIPPER  II 

sixpence.     I'll  tell  the  captain  to  give  you  the 
rest." 

"  Tell  'oo,"  demanded  the  light  porter,  with 
some  violence. 

"  The  captain,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Look  'ere,  you  give  me  that  'arf-crown,"  said 
the  other,  "else  I'll  chuck  your  box  overboard,  an' 
you  after  it." 

"  Wait  a  minute,  then,"  said  the  boy,  darting 
away  up  the  narrow  alley  which  led  to  the  stairs, 
"  I'll  go  and  get  change." 

"  'E's  goin'  to  change  'arf  a  suvren,  or  p'raps  a 
suvren,"  said  the  waterman  ;  "  you'd  better  make 
it  five  bob,  matey." 

"  Ah,  an'  you  make  yours  more,"  said  the  light 

porter   cordially.      "  Well,   I'm Well  of  all 

the " 

"  Get  off  that  box,"  said  the  big  policeman  who 
had  come  back  with  the  boy.  "  Take  your  six- 
pence an'  go.  If  I  catch  you  down  this  way 
again " 

He  finished  the  sentence  by  taking  the  fellow  by 
the  scruff  of  the  neck  and  giving  him  a  violent 
push  as  he  passed  him. 

"  Waterman's  fare  is  threepence,"  he  said  to  the 
boy,  as  the  man  in  the  boat,  with  an  utterly  ex- 
pressionless face,  took  the  chest  from  him.  "  I'll 
stay  here  till  he  has  put  you  aboard." 

The  boy  took  his  seat,  and  the  waterman, 
breathing  hard,  pulled  out  towards  the  vessels  in 


12  MORE   CARGOES 

the  tier.  He  looked  at  the  boy  and  then  at  the 
figure  on  the  steps,  and,  apparently  suppressing 
a  strong  inclination  to  speak,  spat  violently  over 
the  side. 

"  Fine  big  chap,  ain't  he  ?  "  said  the  boy. 

The  waterman,  affecting  not  to  hear,  looked 
over  his  shoulder,  and  pulled  strongly  with  his 
left  towards  a  small  schooner,  from  the  deck  of 
which  a  couple  of  men  were  watching  the  small 
figure  in  the  boat. 

"  That's  the  boy  I  was  going  to  tell  you  about," 
said  the  skipper,  "  and  remember  this  'ere  ship's  a 
pirate." 

"  It's  got  a  lot  o'  pirates  aboard  of  it,"  said  the 
mate  fiercely,  as  he  turned  and  regarded  the  crew, 
"  a  set  o'  lazy,  loafing,  idle,  worthless " 

"  It's  for  the  boy's  sake,"  interrupted  the 
skipper. 

"  Where'd  you  pick  him  up?"  inquired  the 
other. 

"  He's  the  son  of  a  friend  o'  mine  what  I've 
brought  aboard  to  oblige,"  replied  the  skipper. 
"  He's  got  a  fancy  for  being  a  pirate,  so  just  to 
oblige  his  father  I  told  him  we  was  a  pirate.  He 
wouldn't  have  come  if  I  hadn't." 

"  I'll  pirate  him,"  said  the  mate,  rubbing  his 
hands. 

"  He's  a  dreadful  'andful  by  all  accounts,"  con- 
tinued the  other;  "  got  his  'ed  stuffed  full  'o  these 
'ere  penny  dreadfuls  till  they've  turned  his  brain 


SMOKED   SKIPPER  I3 

almost.  He  started  by  being  an  Indian,  and  goin 
off  on  'is  own  with  two  other  kids.  When  'e 
wanted  to  turn  cannibal  the  other  two  objected, 
and  gave  'im  in  charge.  After  that  he  did  a  bit  'o 
burgling,  and  it  cost  'is  old  man  no  end  o'  money 
to  hush  it  up." 

"  Well,  what  did  you  want  him  for  ?  "  grumbled 
the  mate. 

"  I'm  goin'  to  knock  the  nonsense  out  of  him," 
said  the  skipper  softly,  as  the  boat  grazed  the  side. 
"  Just  step  for'ard  and  let  the  hands  know  what's 
expected  of  'em.  When  we  get  to  sea  it  won't 
matter." 

The  mate  moved  off  grumbling,  as  the  small  fare 
stood  on  the  thwarts  and  scrambled  up  over  the 
side.  The  waterman  passed  up  the  chest  and, 
dropping  the  coppers  into  his  pocket,  pushed  off 
again  without  a  word. 

"  Well,  you've  got  here  all  right,  Ralph  ?  "  said 
the  skipper.     "  What  do  you  think  of  her  ?  " 

"  She's  a  rakish-looking  craft,"  said  the  boy, 
looking  round  the  dingy  old  tub  with  much  satis- 
faction ;  "  but  where's  your  arms  ?  " 

"  Hush  !  "  said  the  skipper,  and  laid  his  finger 
on  his  nose. 

"  Oh,  all  right,"  said  the  youth  testily,  "  but 
you  might  tell  me." 

"  You  shall  know  all  in  good  time,"  said  the 
skipper  patiently,  turning  to  the  crew,  who  came 
shuffling  up,  masking  broad  grins  with  dirty  palms. 


14  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Here's  a  new  shipmate  for  you,  my  lads.  He's 
small,  but  he's  the  right  stuff," 

The  newcomer  drew  himself  up,  and  regarded 
the  crew  with  some  dissatisfaction.  For  despera- 
does they  looked  far  too  good-tempered  and  prone 
to  levity. 

"  What's  the  matter  with  you,  Jem  Smithers?  " 
inquired  the  skipper,  scowling  at  a  huge  fair-haired 
man,  who  was  laughing  discordantly. 

"  I  was  thinkin'  o'  the  last  party  I  killed,  sir," 
said  Jem,  with  sudden  gravity.  "  I  allers  laugh 
when  I  think  'ow  he  squealed." 

"  You  laugh  too  much,"  said  the  other  sternly, 
as  he  laid  a  hand  on  Ralph's  shoulder.  "  Take  a 
lesson  from  this  fine  fellow ;  he  don't  laugh.  He 
acts.  Take  'im  down  below  an'  show  him  'is 
bunk." 

"  Will  you  please  to  follow  me,  sir  ? "  said 
Smithers,  leading  the  way  below.  "  I  dessay 
you'll  find  it  a  bit  stufTy,  but  that's  owing  to  Bill 
Dobbs.  A  regler  old  sea-dog  is  Bill,  always  sleeps 
in  'is  clothes  and  never  washes." 

"  I  don't  think  the  worse  of  him  for  that,"  said 
Ralph,  regarding  the  fermenting  Dobbs  kindly. 

"  You'd  best  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your  'ed,  my 
lad,"  said  Dobbs  shortly. 

"  Never  mind  'im,"  said  Smithers  cheerfully  • 
"  nobody  takes  any  notice  o'  old  Dobbs.  You 
can  'it  'im  if  you  like.  I  won't  let  him  hurt 
you." 


SMOKED    SKIPPER  15 

"  I  don't  want  to  start  by  quarreling,"  said  Ralph 
seriously. 

"  You're  afraid,"  said  Jem  tauntingly  ;  "  you'll 
never  make  one  of  us.  'It  'im ;  I  won't  let  him 
hurt  you." 

Thus  aroused,  the  boy,  first  directing  Dobbs'  at- 
tention to  his  stomach  by  a  curious  duck  of  his 
head,  much  admired  as  a  feint  in  his  neighborhood, 
struck  him  in  the  face.  The  next  moment  the 
forecastle  was  in  an  uproar  and  Ralph  prostrate 
on  Dobbs'  knees,  frantically  reminding  Jem  of  his 
promise. 

"  All  right,  I  won't  let  him  'urt  you,"  said  Jem 
consolingly. 

''  But  he  /^hurting  me,"  yelled  the  boy.  "  He's 
hurting  me  noivT 

"  Well,  wait  till  I  get  'im  ashore,"  said  Jem, 
"his  old  woman  won't  know  him  when  I've  done 
with  him." 

The  boy's  reply  to  this  was  a  torrent  of  shrill 
abuse,  principally  directed  to  Jem's  facial  short- 
comings. 

"  Now  don't  get  rude,"  said  the  seaman,  grin- 
ning. 

"  Squint  eyes,"  cried  Ralph  fiercely. 

"  When  you've  done  with  that  'ere  young  gentle- 
man, Dobbs,"  said  Jem,  with  exquisite  politeness. 
"  I  should  like  to  'ave  'im  for  a  little  bit  to  teach 
'im  manners." 

"  'E  don't  want  to  go,"  said  Dobbs,  grinning, 


l6  MORE   CARGOES 

as  Ralph  clung  to  him.  "  He  knows  who's  kind 
to  him." 

"  Wait  till  I  get  a  chance  at  you,"  sobbed  Rai*">h, 
as  Jem  took  him  away  from  Dobbs. 

"  Lord  lummc,"  said  Jem,  regarding  him  in  as- 
tonishment. "  Why,  he's  actooaly  cryin'.  I've 
seen  a  good  many  pirates  in  my  time,  Bill,  but 
this  is  a  new  sort." 

"  Leave  the  boy  alone,"  said  the  cook,  a  fat, 
good-natured  man.  "  Here,  come  'ere,  old  man. 
They  don't  mean  no  'arm." 

Glad  to  escape,  Ralph  made  his  way  over  to  the 
cook,  grinding  his  teeth  with  shame  as  that 
worthy  took  him  between  his  knees  and  mopped 
his  eyes  with  something  which  he  called  a  hand- 
kerchief. 

"  You'll  be  all  right,"  he  said  kindly.  "  You'll  be 
as  good  a  pirate  as  any  of  us  before  you've  finished." 

"  Wait  till  the  first  engagement,  that's  all," 
sobbed  the  boy.  "  If  somebody  don't  get  shot  in 
the  back  it  won't  be  my  fault." 

The  two  seamen  looked  at  each  other.  "  That's 
wot  hurt  my  'and  then,"  said  Dobbs  slowly.  "  I 
thought  it  was  a  jack-knife." 

He  reached  over,  and  unceremoniously  grabbing 
the  boy  by  the  collar,  pulled  him  towards  him, 
and  drew  a  small,  cheap  revolver  from  his  pocket. 
"  Look  at  that,  Jem." 

"  Take  your  fingers  orf  the  blessed  trigger  and 
then  I  will,"  said  the  other,  somewhat  sourly. 


SMOKED    SKIPPER  IJ 

"  I'll  pitch  it  overboard,"  said  Dobbs. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Bill,"  said  Smithers,  pocket- 
inp  it,  "  that's  worth  a  few  pints  o'  anybody's 
1  iiey.  Stand  out  o'  the  way,  Bill,  the  Pirit 
King  wants  to  go  on  deck." 

Bill  moved  aside  as  the  boy  went  to  the  ladder, 
and,  allowing  him  to  get  up  four  or  five  steps,  did 
the  rest  for  him  with  his  shoulder.  The  boy 
reached  the  deck  on  all  fours,  and,  regaining  a 
more  dignified  position  as  soon  as  possible,  went 
and  leaned  over  the  side,  regarding  with  lofty 
contempt  the  busy  drudges    on  wharf  and  river. 

They  sailed  at  midnight  and  brought  up  in  the 
early  dawn  in  Longreach,  where  a  lighter  loaded 
with  barrels  came  alongside,  and  the  boy  smelt 
romance  and  mystery  when  he  learnt  that  they 
contained  powder.  They  took  in  ten  tons,  the 
lighter  drifted  away,  the  hatches  were  put  on,  and 
they  started  once  more. 

It  was  his  first  voyage,  and  he  regarded  with 
eager  interest  the  craft  passing  up  and  down. 
He  had  made  his  peace  with  the  seamen,  and  they 
regaled  him  with  blood-curdling  stories  of  their 
adventures  in  the  vain  hope  of  horrifying  him. 

"  'E's  a  beastly  little  rascal,  that's  wot  'e  is," 
said  the  indignant  Bill,  who  had  surprised  himself 
by  his  powers  of  narration  ;  "  fancy  larfin'  when  I 
told  'im  of  pitchin'  the  baby  to  the  sharks." 

"  'E's  all  right,  Bill,"  said  the  cook  softly. 
"  Wait  till  you've  got  seven  of  'em." 


l8  MORE   CARGOES 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  boy?"  demanded 
the  skipper,  as  Ralph,  finding  the  seamen's  yarns 
somewhat  lacking  in  interest,  strolled  aft  with  hia 
hands  in  his  pockets. 

"  Nothing,"  said  the  boy,  staring. 

"  Keep  the  other  end  o'  the  ship,"  said  the 
skipper  sharply,  "  an'  go  an'  'elp  the  cook  with 
the  taters." 

Ralph  hesitated,  but  a  grin  on  the  mate's  face 
decided  him. 

"  I  didn't  come  here  to  peel  potatoes,"  he  said, 
loftily. 

"  Oh,  indeed,"  said  the  skipper  politely  ;  "  an' 
wot  might  you  'ave  come  for,  if  it  ain't  being  too 
inquisitive?  " 

"  To  fight  the  enemy,"  said  Ralph  shortly. 

"  Come  *ere,"  said  the  skipper. 

The  boy  came  slowly  towards  him. 

"  Now  look  'ere,"  said  the  skipper,  "  I'm  going 
to  try  and  knock  a  little  sense  into  that  stupid  'ed 
o'  yours.  I've  'card  all  about  your  silly  little 
games  ashore.  Your  father  said  he  couldn't  man- 
age you,  so  I'm  goin'  to  have  a  try,  and  you'll 
find  I'm  a  very  different  sort  o'  man  to  deal  with 
to  wot  'e  is.  The  idea  o'  thinking  this  ship  was  a 
pirate.  Why,  a  boy  your  age  ought  to  know 
there  ain't  such  things  nowadays." 

"  You  told  me  you  was,"  said  the  boy  hotly, 
"  else  I  wouldn't  have  come." 

"That's  just  why  I  told  you,"  said  the  skipper. 


SMOKED   SKIPPER  IQ 

"  But  I  didn't  think  you'd  be  such  a  fool  as  to 
beHeve  it.  Pirates,  indeed !  Do  we  look  like 
pirates?" 

"  You  don't,"  said  the  boy  with  a  sneer  ;  "  you 
look  more  like " 

"  Like  wot  ?  "  asked  the  skipper,  edging  closer 
to  him.     "  Eh,  like  wot?  " 

"  I  forget  the  word,"  said  Ralph,  with  strong 
good  sense. 

"  Don't  tell  any  lies  now,"  said  the  skipper, 
flushing,  as  he  heard  a  chuckle  from  the  mate. 
"  Go  on,  out  with  it.  I'll  give  you  just  two 
minutes." 

"  I  forget  it,"  persisted  Ralph. 

"Dustman?"  suggested  the  mate,  coming  to 
his  assistance.  "  Coster,  chimbley-sweep,  mud- 
lark, pickpocket,  convict  washer-wom -" 

"  If  you'll  look  after  your  dooty,  George,  in- 
stead o'  interferin'  in  matters  that  don't  concern 
you,"  said  the  skipper  in  a  choking  voice,  "  I  shall 
be  obliged.  Now,  then,  you  boy,  what  were  you 
going  to  say  I  was  like  ?  " 

"  Like  the  mate,"  said  Ralph  slowly. 

"  Don't  tell  lies,"  said  the  skipper  furiously  ; 
"  you  couldn't  'ave  forgot  that  word." 

"  I  didn't  forget  it,"  said  Ralph,  "  but  I  didn't 
know  how  you'd  like  it." 

The  skipper  looked  at  him  dubiously,  and 
pushing  his  cap  from  his  brow  scratched  his 
head. 


20  MORE   CARGOES 

"  And  I  didn't  know  how  the  mate  'ud  like  it, 
either,"  continued  the  boy. 

He  relieved  the  skipper  from  an  awkward  di- 
lemma by  walking  off  to  the  galley  and  starting 
on  a  bowl  of  potatoes.  The  master  of  the  Susan 
Jane  watched  him  blankly  for  some  time  and  then 
looked  round  at  the  mate. 

"  You  won't  get  much  change  out  of  'im,"  said 
the  latter,  with  a  nod  ;  "  insultin'  little  devil." 

The  other  made  no  reply,  but  as  soon  as  the  po- 
tatoes were  finished  set  his  young  friend  to  clean 
brass  work,  and  after  that  to  tidy  the  cabin  up  and 
help  the  cook  clean  his  pots  and  pans.  Meantime 
the  mate  went  below  and  overhauled  his  chest. 

"  This  is  where  he  gets  all  them  ideas  from,"  he 
said,  coming  aft  with  a  big  bundle  of  penny  papers. 
"  Look  at  the  titles  of  'em — '  The  Lion  of  the 
Pacific,'  '  The  One-armed  Buccaneer,'  '  Captain 
Kidd's  Last  Voyage.'  " 

He  sat  down  on  the  cabin  skylight  and 
began  turning  them  over,  and,  picking  out  certain 
gems  of  phraseology,  read  them  aloud  to  the  skip- 
per. The  latter  listened  at  first  with  scorn  and 
then  with  impatience. 

"  I  can't  make  head  or  tail  out  of  what  you're 
reading,  George,"  he  said  snappishly.  "  Who  was 
Rudolph  ?     Read  straight  ahead." 

Thus  urged,  the  mate,  leaning  fonvard  so  that 
his  listener  might  hear  better,  read  steadily  through 
a  serial  in  the  first  tlircc  numbers.     The  third  in- 


SMOKED    SKIPPER  21 

stalment  left  Rudolph  swimming  in  a  race  with 
three  sharks  and  a  boat-load  of  cannibals ;  and  the 
joint  efforts  of  both  men  failed  to  discover  the 
other  numbers. 

"  Just  wot  I  should  *ave  expected  of  'im,"  said 
the  skipper,  as  the  mate  returned  from  a  fruitless 
search  in  the  boy's  chest.  "  I'll  make  him  a  bit 
more  orderly  on  this  ship.  Go  an'  lock  them 
other  things  up  in  your  drawer,  George.  He's  not 
to  'ave  'em  again." 

The  schooner  was  getting  into  open  water  now, 
and  began  to  feel  it.  In  front  of  them  was  the 
blue  sea,  dotted  with  white  sails  and  funnels  belch- 
ing smoke,  speeding  from  England  to  worlds  of 
romance  and  adventure.  Something  of  the  kind 
the  cook  said  to  Ralph,  and  urged  him  to  get  up 
and  look  for  himself.  He  also,  with  the  best  in- 
tentions, discussed  the  restorative  properties  of 
fat  pork  from  a  medical  point  of  view. 

The  next  few  days  the  boy  divided  between 
seasickness  and  work,  the  latter  being  the  skip- 
per's great  remedy  for  piratical  yearnings.  Three 
or  four  times  he  received  a  mild  drubbing,  and 
what  was  worse  than  the  drubbing,  had  to  give  an 
answer  in  the  affirmative  to  the  skipper's  inquiry 
as  to  whether  he  felt  in  a  more  wholesome  frame 
of  mind.  On  the  fifth  morning  they  stood  in  to- 
wards Fairhaven,  and  to  his  great  joy  he  saw  trees 
and  houses  again. 

They  stayed  at  Fairhaven  just  long  enough  to 


22  MORE   CARGOES 

put  out  a  small  portion  of  their  cargo.  Ralph, 
stripped  to  his  shirt  and  trousers,  having  to  work 
in  the  hold  with  the  rest,  and  proceeded  to  Low- 
port,  a  little  place  some  thirty  miles  distant,  to  put 
out  their  powder. 

It  was  evening  before  they  arrived,  and,  the 
tide  being  out,  anchored  in  the  mouth  of  the 
river  on  which  the  town  stands. 

"  Git  in  about  four  o'clock,"  said  the  skipper  to 
the  mate,  as  he  looked  over  the  side  towards  the 
little  cluster  of  houses  on  the  shore.  "  Do  you 
feel  better  now  I've  knocked  some  o'  that  non- 
sense out  o'  you,  boy  ?  " 

"  Much  better,  sir,"  said  Ralph  respectfully. 

"  Be  a  good  boy,"  said  the  skipper,  pausing  on 
the  companion-ladder,  "  and  you  can  stay  with  us 
if  you  like.  Better  turn  in  now,  as  you'll  have  to 
make  yourself  useful  again  in  the  morning  work- 
ing out  the  cargo." 

He  went  below,  leaving  the  boy  on  deck.  The 
crew  were  in  the  forecastle  smoking,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  cook,  who  was  in  the  galley  over 
a  little  private  business  of  his  own. 

An  hour  later  the  cook  went  below  to  prepare 
for  sleep.  The  other  two  men  were  already  in 
bed,  and  he  was  about  to  get  into  his  when  he 
noticed  that  Ralph's  bunk,  which  was  under  his 
own,  was  empty.  He  went  upon  deck  and  looked 
round,  and  returning  below,  scratched  his  nose  in 
thought. 


SMOKED    SKIPPER  23 

"  Where's  the  boy  ?  "  he  demanded,  taking  Jem 
by  the  arm  and  shaking  him. 

"  Eh  ?  "  said  Jem,  rousing.     "  Whose  boy  ?  " 

"  Our  boy,  Ralph,"  said  the  cook.  "  I  can't 
see  'im  nowhere.  I  'ope  'e  ain't  gone  overboard, 
poor  Httle  chap." 

Jem  refusing  to  discuss  the  matter,  the  cook 
awoke  Dobbs.  Dobbs  swore  at  him  peacefully, 
and  resumed  his  slumbers.  The  cook  went  up 
again  and  prowled  round  the  deck,  looking  in  all 
sorts  of  unlikely  places  for  the  boy.  He  even 
climbed  a  little  way  into  the  rigging,  and,  finding 
no  traces  of  him,  was  reluctantly  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  had  gone  overboard. 

"  Pore  little  chap,"  he  said  solemnly,  looking 
over  the  ship's  side  at  the  still  waters. 

He  walked  slowly  aft,  shaking  his  head,  and 
looking  over  the  stern,  brought  up  suddenly  with 
a  cry  of  dismay  and  rubbed  his  eyes.  The  ship's 
boat  had  also  disappeared. 

"  Wot  ?  "  said  the  two  seamen  as  he  ran  below 
and  communicated  the  news.  "  Well,  if  it's  gorn, 
it  s  gorn. 

"  Hadn't  I  better  go  an'  tell  the  skipper?"  said 
the  cook. 

"  Let  'im  find  it  out  'isself,"  said  Jem  purring  con- 
tentedly in  the  blankets,  "  It's  'is  boat.    Go'night." 

"Time  we  'ad  a  noo  'un  too,"  said  Dobbs, 
yawning.  "  Don't  you  worry  your  'ed,  cook, 
about  what  don't  consarn  you." 


24  MORE   CARGOES 

The  cook  took  the  advice,  and,  having  made 
his  few  simple  preparations  for  the  night,  blew 
out  the  lamp  and  sprang  into  his  bunk.  Then  he 
uttered  a  sharp  exclamation,  and  getting  out  again 
fumbled  for  the  matches  and  relit  the  lamp.  A 
minute  later  he  awoke  his  exasperated  friends  for 
the  third  time. 

"  S'elp  me,  cook,"  began  Jem  fiercely. 

"  If  you  don't  I  will,"  said  Dobbs,  sitting  up 
and  trying  to  reach  the  cook  with  his  clenched 
fist. 

"  It's  a  letter  pinned  to  my  pillow,"  said  the 
cook  in  trembling  tones,  as  he  held  it  to  the  lamp. 

"  Well,  we  don't  want  to  'ear  it,"  said  Jem. 
*'  Shut  up,  d'ye  hear  ?  " 

But  there  was  that  in  the  cook's  manner  which 
awed  him. 

"  Dear  cook,"  he  read  feverishly,  "  I  have  made 
an  infernal  machine  with  clock-work,  and  hid  it  in 
the  hold  near  the  gunpowder  when  we  were  at 
Fairhavcn.  I  think  it  will  go  off  between  ten  and 
eleven  to-night,  but  I  am  not  quite  sure  about  the 
time.  Don't  tell  those  other  beasts,  but  jump 
overboard  and  swim  ashore.  I  have  taken  the 
boat.  I  would  have  taken  you  too,  but  you  told 
me  you  swam  seven  miles  once,  so  you  can 
eas 

The  reading  came  to  an  abrupt  termination  as 
his  listeners  sprang  out  of  their  bunks,  and  bolt- 
ing on    deck,    burst    wildly    into    the    cabin,  and 


SMOKED  "SKIPPER  2$ 

breathlessly  reeled  off  the  heads  of  the  letter  to 
its  astonished  occupants. 

"  Stuck  a  wot  in  the  hold  ?  "  gasped  the  skip- 
per. 

"  Infernal  machine,"  said  the  mate  ;  "  one  of 
them  things  wot  you  blow  up  the  'Ouses  of  Parlia- 
ment with." 

"  Wot's  the  time  now  ?  "  interrogated  Jem  anx- 
iously. 

"  'Bout  ha'-past  ten,"  said  the  cool:  trembling. 
"  Let's  give  'cm  a  hail  ashore." 

They  leaned  over  the  side,  and  sent  a  mighty 
shout  across  the  water.  Most  of  Lowport  had 
gone  to  bed,  but  the  windows  in  the  inn  were 
bright,  and  lights  showed  in  the  upper  windows 
of  two  or  three  of  the  cottages. 

Again  they  shouted  in  deafening  chorus,  casting 
fearful  looks  behind  them,  and  in  the  silence  a 
faint  answering  hail  came  from  the  shore.  They 
shouted  again  like  madmen,  and  then  listening  in- 
tently heard  a  boat's  keel  grate  on  the  beach,  and 
then  the  welcome  click  of  oars  in  the  rowlocks, 

"  Make  haste,"  bawled  Dobbs  vociferously,  as 
the  boat  came  creeping  out  of  the  darkness.  "  W'y 
don't  you  make  'astc?  " 

"  Wot's  the  row  ?  "  cried  a  voice  from  the  boat. 

"  Gunpowder  !  "  yelled  the  cook  frantically  : 
"  there's  ten  tons  of  it  aboard  just  going  to  ex- 
plode.    Hurry  up." 

The  sound  of  the  oars  ceased  and  a  startled 


26  MORE  CARGOES 

murmur  was  heard  from  the  boat  ;  then  an  oar 
was  pulled  jerkily. 

"  They're  putting  back,"  said  Jem  suddenly. 
"  I'm  going  to  swim  for  it.  Stand  by  to  pick  me 
up,  mates,"  he  shouted,  and  lowering  himself  with 
a  splash  into  the  water  struck  out  strongly  towards 
them. 

Dobbs,  a  poor  swimmer,  after  a  moment's  hesi- 
tation, followed  his  example. 

"  I  can't  swim  a  stroke,"  cried  the  cook,  his 
teeth  chattering. 

The  others,  who  were  in  the  same  predicament, 
leaned  over  the  side,  listening.  The  swimmers 
were  invisible  in  the  darkness,  but  their  progress 
was  easily  followed  by  the  noise  they  made.  Jem 
was  the  first  to  be  hauled  on  board,  and  a  minute 
or  two  later  the  listeners  on  the  schooner  heard 
him  assisting  Dobbs.  Then  the  sounds  of  strife, 
of  thumps,  and  wicked  words  broke  on  their  de- 
lighted ears. 

"  They're  coming  back  for  us,"  said  the  mate, 
taking  a  deep  breath.     "  Well  done,  Jem." 

The  boat  came  towards  them,  impelled  by 
powerful  strokes,  and  was  soon  alongside.  The 
three  men  tumbled  in  hurriedly,  their  fall  being 
modified  by  the  original  crew,  who  were  lying 
crouched  up  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  Jem  and 
Dobbs  gave  way  with  hearty  goodwill,  and  the 
doomed  ship  receded  into  the  darkness.  A  little 
knot  of  people  had  gathered  on  the  shore,   and, 


SMOKED   SKIPPER  2/ 

receiving  the  tidings,  became  anxious  for  the 
safety  of  their  town.  It  was  felt  that  the  windows, 
at  least,  were  in  imminent  peril,  and  messengers 
were  hastily    sent   round    to    have   them  opened. 

Still  the  deserted  S7/sau  Jane  made  no  sign. 
Twelve  o'clock  struck  from  the  little  church  at 
the  back  of  the  town,  and  she  was  still  intact. 

"  Something's  gone  wrong,"  said  an  old  fisher- 
man with  a  bad  way  of  putting  things.  "  Now's  the 
time  for  somebody  to  go  and  tow  her  out  to  sea." 

There  was  no  response. 

"  To  save  Lowport,"  said  the  speaker  feelingly. 
"  If  I  was  only  twenty  years  younger " 

"  It's  old  men's  work,"  said  a  voice. 

The  skipper,  straining  his  eyes  through  the 
gloom  in  the  direction  of  his  craft,  said  nothing. 
He  began  to  think  that  she  had  escaped  after  all. 

Two  o'clock  struck  and  the  crowd  began  to  dis- 
perse. Some  of  the  bolder  inhabitants  who  were 
fidgety  about  draughts  closed  their  windows,  and 
children  who  had  been  routed  out  of  their  beds  to 
take  a  nocturnal  walk  inland  were  led  slowly  back. 
By  three  o'clock  the  danger  was  felt  to  be  over, 
and  day  broke  and  revealed  the  forlorn  Susan 
Jane  still  riding  at  anchor. 

"  I'm  going  aboard,"  said  the  skipper  suddenly  ; 
"  who's  coming  with  me  ?  " 

Jem  and  the  mate  and  the  town-policeman  vol- 
unteered, and,  borroAving  the  boat  which  had 
served  them  before,  pulled  swiftly  out  to  their 


28  MORE   CARGOES 

vessel  and,  taking  the  hatches  off  with  unusual 
gentleness,  commenced  their  search.  It  was  ner- 
vous work  at  first,  but  they  became  inured  to  it, 
and,  moreover,  a  certain  suspicion,  slight  at  first, 
but  increasing  in  intensity  as  the  search  proceeded, 
gave  them  some  sense  of  security.  Later  still 
they  began  to  eye  each  other  shamefacedly. 

"  I  don't  believe  there's  anything  there,"  said 
the  policeman,  sitting  down  and  laughing  boister- 
ously :  "  that  boy's  been  making  a  fool  of  you." 

"  That's  about  the  size  of  it,"  groaned  the  mate. 
*'  We'll  be  the  laughing-stock  o'  the  town," 

The  skipper,  who  w'as  standing  with  his  back 
towards  him,  said  nothing ;  but,  peering  about, 
stooped  suddenly,  and,  with  a  sharp  exclamation, 
picked  up  something  from  behind  a  damaged  case. 

"  I've  got  it,"  he  yelled  suddenly  ;  "  stand 
clear !  " 

He  scrambled  hafstily  on  deck,  and,  holding  his 
find  at  arm's  length,  with  his  head  averted,  flung 
it  far  into  the  water.  A  loud  cheer  from  a  couple 
of  boats  which  were  watching  greeted  his  action, 
and  a  distant  response  came  from  the  shore. 

"  Was  that  a  infernal  machine  ?  "  whispered  the 
bewildered  Jem  to  the  mate.  "Why,  it  looked 
to  me  just  like  one  o'  them  tins  o'  corned  beef." 

The  mate  shook  his  head  at  him  and  glanced 
at  the  constable,  who  was  gazing  longingly  over 
the  side.  "  Well,  I've  'eard  of  people  being  killed 
by  f/ic;n  sometimes,"  he  said  with  a  grin. 


A  SAFETY  MATCH 

Mr.  Boom,  late  of  the  mercantile  marine,  had 
the  last  word,  but  only  by  the  cowardly  expedient 
of  getting  out  of  earshot  of  his  daughter  first,  and 
then  hurling  it  at  her  with  a  voice  trained  to  com- 
pete with  hurricanes.  Miss  Boom  avoided  a  com- 
plete defeat  by  leaning  forward  with  her  head  on 
one  side  in  the  attitude  of  an  eager  but  unsuccess- 
ful listener,  a  pose  which  she  abandoned  for  one 
of  innocent  joy  when  her  sire,  having  been  delud- 
ed into  twice  repeating  his  remarks,  was  fain  to 
relieve  his  overstrained  muscles  by  a  fit  of  violent 
coughing. 

"  I  b'lieve  she  heard  it  all  along,"  said  Mr. 
Boom  sourly,  as  he  continued  his  way  down  the 
winding  lane  to  the  little  harbour  below.  "  The 
only  way  to  live  at  peace  with  wimmen  is  to 
always  be  at  sea ;  then  they  make  a  fuss  of  you 
when  you  come  home — if  you  don't  stay  too  long, 
that  is." 

He  reached  the  quay,  with  its  few  tiny  cottages 
and  brown  nets  spread  about  to  dry  in  the  sun, 
and  walking  up  and  down,  grumbling,  regarded 
with  a  jaundiced  eye  a  few  small  smacks,  which 
lay  in  the  harbour,  and  two  or  three  crusted  am- 
phibians lounging  aimlessly  about. 

29 


30  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Mornin',  Mr.  Boom,"  said  a  stalwart  youth  in 
sea-boots,  appearing  suddenly  over  the  edge  of 
the  quay  from  his  boat. 

"  Mornin',  Dick,"  said  Mr.  Boom  afTably  ;  "just 
goin'  off  ?  " 

"  'Bout  an  hour's  time,"  said  the  other ;  "  Miss 
Boom  well,  sir  ?  " 

"  She's  a'  right,"  said  Mr.  Boom  ;  "  me  an'  her 
've  just  had  a  few  words.  She  picked  up  some- 
thing off  the  floor  what  she  said  was  a  cake  o'  mud 
off  my  heel.  Said  she  wouldn't  have  it,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Boom,  his  voice  rising.  "  My  own 
floor  too.  Swep'  it  up  off  the  floor  with  a  dustpan 
and  brush,  and  held  it  in  front  of  me  to  look 
at. 

Dick  Tarrell  gave  a  grunt  which  might  mean 
anything — Mr,  Boom  took  it  for  sympathy. 

"  I  called  her  old  maid,"  he  said  with  gusto ; 
"  *  you're  a  fidgety  old  maid,'  I  said.  You  should 
ha'  seen  her  look.  Do  you  know  what  I  think, 
Dick?" 

"  Not  exactly,"  said  Tarrell  cautiously. 

"  I  b'leeve  she's  that  savage  that  she'd  take  the 
first  man  that  asked  her,"  said  the  other  trium- 
phantly ;  "  she's  sitting  up  there  at  the  door  of 
the  cottage,  all  by  herself." 

Tarrell  sighed. 

"  With  not  a  soul  to  speak  to,"  said  Mr.  Boom 
pointedly. 

The  other  kicked  at  a  small  crab  which   was 


A   SAFETY    MATCH  3 1 

passing,  and  returned  it  to  its  native  element  in 
sections. 

"  I'll  walk  up  there  with  you  if  you're  going 
that  way,"  he  said  at  length. 

"  No,  I'm  just  having  a  look  round,"  said  Mr, 
Boom,  "  but  there's  nothing  to  hinder  you  going, 
Dick,  if  you've  a  mind  to." 

"  There's  no  little  thing  you  want,  as  I'm  going 
there,  I  s'pose?"  suggested  Tarrell.  "It's  awk- 
ward when  you  go  there  and  say,  '  Good  morn- 
ing,' and  the  girl  says,  '  Good  morning,'  and  then 
you  don't  say  any  more  and  she  don't  say  any 
more.  If  there  was  anything  you  wanted  that 
I  could  help  her  look  for,  it  'ud  make  talk 
easier." 

"  Well — go  for  my  baccy  pouch,"  said  Mr. 
Boom,  after  a  minute's  thought,  "it'll  take  you  a 
long  time  to  find  that." 

"  Why?"  inquired  the  other. 

"  'Cos  I've  got  it  here,"  said  the  unscrupulous 
Mr.  Boom,  producing  it,  and  placidly  filling  his 
pipe.  "  You  might  spend — ah — the  best  part  of 
an  hour  looking  for  that." 

He  turned  away  with  a  nod,  and  Tarrell,  after 
looking  about  him  in  a  hesitating  fashion  to  make 
sure  that  his  movements  were  not  attracting  the 
attention  his  conscience  told  him  they  deserved, 
set  off  in  the  hang-dog  fashion  peculiar  to  nervous 
lovers  up  the  road  to  the  cottage.  Kate  Boom 
was  sitting  at  the  door  as  her  father  had  described, 


32  MORE   CARGOES 

and,  in  apparent  unconsciousness  of  his  approach, 
did  not  raise  her  eyes  from  her  book. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  Tarrell,  in  a  husky 
voice. 

Miss  Boom  returned  the  salutation,  and,  mark- 
ing the  place  in  her  book  with  her  forefinger, 
looked  over  the  hedge  on  the  other  side  of  the 
road  to  the  sea  beyond. 

"  Your  father  has  left  his  pouch  behind,  and 
being  as  I  was  coming  this  way,  asked  me  to  call 
for  it,"  faltered  the  young  man. 

Miss  Boom  turned  her  head,  and,  regarding  him 
steadily,  noted  the  rising  colour  and  the  shuffling 
feet. 

"  Did  he  say  where  he  had  left  it  ?  "she  inquired. 

"  No,"  said  the  other. 

"  Well,  my  time's  too  valuable  to  waste  looking 
for  pouches,"  said  Kate,  bending  down  to  her 
book  again,  "  but  if  you  like  to  go  in  and  look  for 
it,  you  may  !  " 

She  moved  aside  to  let  him  pass,  and  sat  listen- 
ing with  a  slight  smile  as  she  heard  him  moving 
about  the  room. 

"  I  can't  find  it,"  he  said,  after  a  pretended 
search. 

"  Better  try  the  kitchen  now  then,"  said  Miss 
Boom,  Avithout  looking  up,  "  and  then  the  scullery. 
It  might  be  in  the  woodshed  or  even  down  the 
garden.     You  haven't  half  looked." 

She  heard  the  kitchen  door  close  behind  him, 


A   SAFETY   MATCH  33 

and  then,  taking  her  book  with  her,  went  upstairs 
to  her  room.  The  conscientious  Tarrell,  having 
duly  searched  all  the  above-mentioned  places, 
returned  to  the  parlour  and  waited.  He  waited  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  and  then  going  out  by  the 
front  door  stood  irresolute. 

"  I  can't  find  it,"  he  said  at  length,  addressing 
himself  to  the  bedroom  window. 

"  No.  I  was  coming  down  to  tell  you,"  said 
Miss  Boom,  glancing  sedately  at  him  from  over 
the  geraniums.  "  I  remember  seeing  father  take 
it  out  with  him  this  morning." 

Tarrell  affected  a  clumsy  surprise.  "  It  doesn't 
matter,"  he  said.  "  How  nice  your  geraniums 
are." 

"  Yes,  they're  all  right,"  said  Miss  Boom  briefly. 

"  I  can't  think  how  you  keep  'em  so  nice,"  said 
Tarrell. 

"  Well,  don't  try,"  said  Miss  Boom  kindly. 
"  You'd  better  go  back  and  tell  father  about  the 
pouch.  Perhaps  he's  waiting  for  a  smoke  all  this 
time." 

"  There's  no  hurry,"  said  the  young  man  ;  "  per^ 
haps  he's  found  it." 

"  Well,  I  can't  stop  to  talk,"  said  the  girl ;  "  I'm 
busy  reading." 

With  these  heartless  words,  she  withdrew  into 

the   room,  and  the  discomfited    swain,  only  too 

conscious  of  the  sorry  figure  he  cut,  went  slowly 

back  to  the  harbour,  to  be  met  by  Mr.  Boom  with 

3 


34  MORE   CARGOES 

a   wink   of   aggravating   and    portentous   dimen* 
sions. 

"You've  took  a  long  time,"  he  said  slyly. 
"  There's  nothing  like  a  little  scheming  in  these 
things." 

"  It  didn't  lead  to  much,"  said  the  discomfited 
Tarrell. 

"  Don't  be  in  a  hurry,  my  lad,"  said  the  elder 
man,  after  listening  to  his  experiences.  "  I've 
been  thinking  over  this  little  affair  for  some  time 
now,  an'  I  think  I've  got  a  plan." 

"  If   it's   anything   about   baccy   pouches " 

began  the  young  man  ungratefully. 

"  It  ain't,"  interrupted  Mr.  Boom,  "  it's  quite 
diff'rent.  Now,  you'd  best  get  aboard  your  craft 
and  do  your  duty.  There's  more  young  men  won 
girls'  'arts  while  doing  of  their  duty  than — than — 
if  they  warn't  doing  their  duty.  Do  you  under- 
stand me  ?  " 

It  is  inadvisable  to  quarrel  with  a  prospective 
father-in-law,  so  that  Tarrell  said  he  did,  and  with 
a  moody  nod  tumbled  into  his  boat  and  put  off  to 
the  smack.  Mr.  Boom  having  walked  up  and 
down  a  bit,  and  exchanged  a  few  greetings,  bent 
his  steps  in  the  direction  of  the  "  Jolly  Sailor," 
and,  ordering  two  mugs  of  ale,  set  them  down  on 
a  small  bench  opposite  his  old  friend  Raggett. 

"  I  see  young  Tarrell  go  off  grumpy-like,"  said 
Raggett,  drawing  a  mug  towards  him  and  gazing 
at  the  fast-receding  boats. 


A   SAFETY    MATCH  35 

"  Aye,  we'll  have  to  do  what  we  talked  about," 
said  Boom  slowly.  "  It's  opposition  what  that 
gal  wants.  She  simply  sits  and  mopes  for  the 
want  of  somebody  to  contradict  her." 

"  Well,  why  don't  you  do  it  ?  "  said  Raggett. 
"  That  ain't  much  for  a  father  to  do  surely." 

"  I  hev,"  said  the  other  slowly,  "  more  than 
once.  O'  course,  when  I  insist  upon  a  thing,  it's 
done ;  but  a  woman's  a  delikit  creetur,  Raggett, 
and  the  last  row  we  had  she  got  that  ill  that  she 
couldn't  get  up  to  get  my  breakfast  ready,  no,  nor 
my  dinner  either.     It  made  us  both  ill,  that  did." 

"Are  you  going  to  tell  Tarrell  ? "  inquired 
Raggett. 

"  No,"  said  his  friend.  ''  Like  as  not  he'd  tell 
her  just  to  curry  favour  with  her.  I'm  going  to  tell 
him  he's  not  to  come  to  the  house  no  more. 
That'll  make  her  want  him  to  come,  if  anything 
will.  Now  there's  no  use  wasting  time.  You 
begin  to-day." 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  say,"  murmured  Rag- 
gett, nodding  to  him  as  he  raised  the  beer  to 
his  lips. 

"  Just  go  now  and  call  in — you  might  take  her 
a  nosegay." 

"  I  won't  do  nothing  so  darned  silly,"  said 
Raggett  shortly. 

"  Well,  go  without  'em,"  said  Boom  impatiently  ; 
"  just  go  and  get  yourselves  talked  about,  that's  all 
— have  everybody  making  game  of  both  of  you. 


36  MORE   CARGOES 

Talking  about  a  good-looking  young  girl  being 
sweethearted  by  an  old  chap  with  one  foot  in  the 
grave  and  a  face  like  a  dried  herring.  That's  what 
I  want." 

Mr.  Raggett,  who  was  just  about  to  drink,  put 
his  mug  down  again  and  regarded  his  friend 
fixedly. 

"  Might  I  ask  who  you're  alloodin'  too  ?  "  he 
inquired  somewhat  shortly. 

Mr.  Boom,  brought  up  in  mid-career,  shuffled  a 
little  and  laughed  uneasily.  "  Them  ain't  my 
words,  old  chap,"  he  said ;  "  it  was  the  way  she 
was  speaking  of  you  the  other  day." 

"  Well,  I  won't  have  nothin'  to  do  with  it,"  said 
Raggett  rising. 

"  Well,  nobody  needn't  know  anything  about 
it,"  said  Boom,  pulling  him  down  to  his  seat 
again.  "  She  won't  tell,  I'm  sure — she  wouldn't 
like  the  disgrace  of  it." 

"  Look  here,"  said  Raggett  getting  up  again. 

"  I  mean  from  her  point  of  view,"  said  Mr.  Boom 
querulously  ;  "  you're  very  'asty,  Raggett." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care  about  it,"  said  Raggett 
slowly  ;  "  it  seemed  all  right  when  we  was  talking 
about  it ;  but  s'pose  I  have  all  my  trouble  for 
nothing,  and  she  don't  take  Dick  after  all  ?  What 
then?" 

"  Well,  then  there's  no  harm  done,"  said  his 
friend,  "  and  it'll  be  a  bit  o'  sport  for  both  of  us. 
You  go  up  and  start,  an'  I'll  have  another  pint  of 


A   SAFETY   MATCH  37 

beer  and  a  clean  pipe  waiting  for  you  against  you 
come  back." 

Sorely  against  his  better  sense  Mr.  Raggett  rose 
and  went  off,  grumbling.  It  was  fatiguing  work 
on  a  hot  day,  climbing  the  road  up  the  cliff,  but  he 
took  it  quietly,  and  having  gained  the  top,  moved 
slowly  towards  the  cottage. 

"  Morning,  Mr.  Raggett,"  said  Kate  cheerily,  as 
he  entered  the  cottage.  "  Dear,  dear,  the  idea  of 
an  old  man  like  you  climbing  about !  It's  won- 
derful." 

"  I'm  sixty-seven,"  said  Mr.  Raggett  viciously, 
"  and  I  feel  as  young  as  ever  I  did." 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  Kate  soothingly  ;  "  and  look 
as  young  as  ever  you  did.  Come  in  and  sit  down 
a  bit." 

Mr.  Raggett  with  some  trepidation  complied, 
and  sitting  in  a  very  upright  position,  wondered 
how  he  should  begin.  "  I  am  just  sixty-seven," 
he  said  slowly.  "  I'm  not  old  and  I'm  not  young, 
but  I'm  just  old  enough  to  begin  to  want  some- 
body to  look  after  me  a  bit." 

"  I  shouldn't  while  I  could  get  about  if  I  were 
you,"  said  the  innocent  Kate.  "  Why  not  wait 
until  you're  bed-ridden  ?  " 

"  I  don't  mean  that  at  all,"  said  Mr.  Raggett 
snappishly.  "  I  mean  I'm  thinking  of  getting 
married." 

"  Good — gracious  !  "  said  Kate  open-mouthed. 

"  I  may  have  one  foot    in   the   grave,  and  re- 


38  MORE   CARGOES 

semble  a  dried  herring  in  the  face/'  pursued  Mr. 
Raggett  with  bitter  sarcasm,  "  but " 

"  You  can't  help  that,"  said  Kate  gently. 

"  But  I'm  going  to  get  married,"  said  Raggett 
savagely. 

"  Well,  don't  get  in  a  way  about  it,"  said  the 
girl.  "  Of  course,  if  you  want  to,  and — and — you 
can  find  somebody  else  who  wants  to,  there's  no 
reason  why  you  shouldn't !  Have  you  told  father 
about  it  ?  " 

"  I  have,"  said  Mr.  Raggett,  "  and  he  has  given 
his  consent." 

He  put  such  meaning  into  this  remark  and  so 
much  more  in  the  contortion  of  visage  which  ac- 
companied it,  that  the  girl  stood  regarding  him  in 
blank  astonishment. 

"  His  consent?"  she  said  in  a  strange  voice. 

Mr.  Raggett  nodded. 

"  I  went  to  him  first,"  he  said,  trying  to  speak 
confidently.  "  Now  I've  come  to  you — I  want 
you  to  marry  me  !  " 

"  Don't  you  be  a  silly  old  man,  Mr.  Raggett," 
said  Kate,  recovering  her  composure.  "And  as  for 
my  father,  you  go  back  and  tell  him  I  want  to  see 
him." 

She  drew  aside  and  pointed  to  the  door,  and  Mr. 
Raggett,  thinking  that  he  had  done  quite  enough 
for  one  day,  passed  out  and  retraced  his  steps  to 
the  "Jolly  Sailor."  Mr.  Boom  met  him  half-way, 
and  having  received  his  message,  spent  the  rest  of 


A   SAFETY    MATCH  39 

the  morning  in  fortifying  himself  for  the  reception 
whicli  awaited  him. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  say  which  of  the  two 
young  people  was  the  more  astonished  at  this  sud- 
den change  of  affairs.  Miss  Boom,  affecting  to 
think  that  her  parent's  reason  was  affected  treated 
him  accordingly,  a  state  of  affairs  not  without  its 
drawbacks,  as  Mr.  Boom  found  out.  Tarrell,  on 
the  other  hand,  attributed  it  to  greed,  and  being 
forbidden  the  house,  spent  all  his  time  ashore  on 
a  stile  nearly  opposite,  and  sullenly  watched  events. 

For  three  weeks  Mr.  Raggett  called  daily,  and 
after  staying  to  tea,  usually  wound  up  the  evening 
by  formally  proposing  for  Kate's  hand.  Both  con- 
spirators were  surprised  and  disappointed  at  the 
quietness  with  which  Miss  Boom  received  these 
attacks ;  Mr.  Raggett  meeting  with  a  politeness 
which  was  a  source  of  much  wonder  to  both  of 
them. 

His  courting  came  to  an  end  suddenly.  He 
paused  one  evening  with  his  hand  on  the  door,  and 
having  proposed  in  the  usual  manner  was  going 
out,  when  Miss  Boom  called  him  back. 

"  Sit  down,  Mr.  Raggett,"  she  said  calmly.  Mr. 
Raggett,  wondering  inwardly,  resumed  his  seat. 

"  You  have  asked  me  a  good  many  times  to 
marry  you,"  said  Kate. 

"  I  have,"  said  Mr.  Raggett,  nodding. 

"  And  I'm  sure  it's  very  kind  of  you,"  continued 
the  girl,  "  and  if  I've  hurt  your  feelings  by  refusing 


40  MORE   CARGOES 

you,  it  is  only  because  I  have  thought  perhaps  I 
was  not  good  enough  for  you." 

In  the  silence  which  followed  this  unexpected 
and  undeserved  tribute  to  Mr,  Raggett's  worth, 
the  two  old  men  eyed  each  other  in  silent  con- 
sternation. 

"  Still,  if  you've  made  up  your  mind,"  continued 
the  girl,  "  I  don't  know  that  it's  for  me  to  object. 
You're  not  much  to  look  at,  but  you've  got  the 
loveliest  chest  of  drawers  and  the  best  furniture  all 
round  in  Mastleigh.  And  I  suppose  you've  got 
a  little  money?  " 

Mr.  Raggett  shook  his  head,  and  in  a  broken 
voice  was  understood  to  say  :  "  A  very  little." 

"  I  don't  want  any  fuss  or  anything  of  that  kind," 
said  Miss  Boom  calmly.  "  No  bridesmaids  or  any- 
thing of  that  sort ;  it  wouldn't  be  suitable  at  your 
age. 

Mr.  Raggett  withdrew  his  pipe,  and  holding  it 
an  inch  or  two  from  his  mouth,  listened  like  one 
in  a  dream. 

"  Just  a  few  old  friends,  and  a  bit  of  cake,"  con- 
tinued Miss  Boom  musingly.  "  And  instead  of 
spending  a  lot  of  money  in  foolish  waste,  we'll 
have  three  weeks  in  London." 

Mr.  Raggett  made  a  gurgling  noise  in  his  throat, 
and  suddenly  remembering  himself,  pretended  to 
think  that  it  was  something  wrong  with  his  pipe, 
and  removing  it  blew  noisily  through  the  mouth- 
piece. 


A   SAFETY   MATCH  4I 

"  Perhaps  "  he  said,  in  a  trembling  voice — "  per- 
haps you'd  better  take  a  little  longer  to  consider, 
my  dear," 

Kate  shook  her  head.  "  I've  quite  made  up 
my  mind,"  she  said,  "  quite.  And  now  I  want  to 
marry  you  just  as  much  as  you  want  to  marry  me. 
Good-night,  Father  ;  good-night — George." 

Mr.  Raggett  started  violently,  and  collapsed  in 
his  chair. 

"  Raggett,"   said  Mr,  Boom  huskily. 

"  Don't  talk  to  me,"  said  the  other,  "  I  can't 
bear  it." 

Mr.  Boom,  respecting  his  friend's  trouble,  re- 
lapsed into  silence  again,  and  for  a  long  time  not 
a  word  was  spoken. 

"  My  'ed's  in  a  whirl,"  said  Mr.  Raggett  at  length. 

"  It  'ud  be  a  wonder  if  it  wasn't,"  said  Mr.  Boom 
sympathetically. 

"  To  think,"  continued  the  other  miserably, 
"how  I've  been  let  in  for  this.  The  plots  an'  the 
plans  and  the  artfulness  what's  been  goin'  on  round 
me,  an'  I've  never  seen  it." 

"  What  d'ye  mean  ?  "  demanded  Mr,  Boom,  with 
sudden  violence. 

"  I  know  what  I  mean,"  said  Mr.  Raggett  darkly. 

"  P'r'aps  you'll  tell  me,  then,"  said  the  other, 

"Who  thought  of  it  first?"  demanded  Mr. 
Raggett  ferociously.  "  Who  came  to  me  and 
asked  me  to  court  his  slip  of  a  girl  ? " 

"  Don't   you   be  a'  old    fool,"  said    Mr.  Boom 


42  MORE   CARGOES 

heatedly.  "  It's  done  now,  and  what's  done  can't 
be  undone.  I  never  thought  to  have  a  son-in-law 
seven  or  eight  years  older  than  what  I  am,  and 
what's  more,  I  don't  want  it." 

"  Said  I  wasn't  much  to  look  at,  but  she  liked 
my  chest  o'  drawers,"  repeated  Raggett  mechani- 
cally. 

"  Don't  ask  me  where  she  gets  her  natur'  from, 
cos  I  couldn't  tell  you,"  said  the  unhappy  parent; 
"  she  don't  get  it  from  me." 

Mr.  Raggett  allowed  this  reflection  upon  the  late 
Mrs.  Boom  to  pass  unnoticed,  and  taking  his  hat 
from  the  table,  fixed  it  firmly  upon  his  head,  and 
gazing  with  scornful  indignation  upon  his  host, 
stepped  slowly  out  of  the  door  without  going 
through  the  formality  of  bidding  him  good-night. 

"  George,"  said  a  voice  from  above  him. 

Mr.  Raggett  started,  and  glanced  up  at  some- 
body leaning  from  the  window. 

"  Come  in  to  tea  to-morrow  early,"  said  the 
voice  pressingly  ;  "  good-night,  dear." 

Mr.  Raggett  turned  and  fled  into  the  night, 
dimly  conscious  that  a  dark  figure  had  detached 
itself  from  the  stile  opposite,  and  was  walking 
beside  him. 

"  That  you,  Dick?  "  he  inquired  nervously,  after 
an  oppressive  silence. 

"That's  me,"  said  Dick.  "  I  heard  her  call  you 
*  dear.'  "  Mr.  Raggett,  his  face  suffused  with 
blushes,  hung  his  head. 


A   SAFETY    MATCH  43 

"  Called  you  '  dear,'  "  repeated  Dick  ;  "  I  heard 
her  say  it.  I'm  going  to  pitch  you  into  the  har- 
bour. I'll  learn  you  to  go  courting  a  young  girl. 
What  are  you  stopping  for?" 

Mr.  Raggett  delicately  intimated  that  he  was 
stopping  because  he  preferred,  all  things  consid- 
ered, to  be  alone.  Finding  the  young  man,  how- 
ever, bent  upon  accompanying  him,  he  divulged  the 
plot  of  which  he  had  been  the  victim,  and  bitterly 
lamented  his  share  in  it. 

"You  don't  want  to  marry  her,  then,"  said  the 
astonished  Dick. 

"  Course  I  don't,"  snarled  Mr.  Raggett ;  "  I 
can't  afford  it.  I'm  too  old  ;  besides  which,  she'll 
turn  my  little  place  topsy-turvy.  Look  here, 
Dick,  I  done  this  all  for  you.  Now,  it's  evident 
she  only  wants  my  furniture :  if  I  give  all  the  best 
of  it  to  you,  she'll  take  you  instead." 

"  No,  she  won't,"  said  Dick  grimly  ;  "  I  wouldn't 
have  her  now  not  if  she  asked  me  on  her  bended 
knee." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  said  Raggett. 

"  I  don't  want  to  marry  that  sort  o'  girl,"  said 
the  other  scornfully  ;  "  it's  cured  me." 

"  What  about  me,  then  ?  "  said  the  unfortunate 
Raggett. 

"  Well,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  it  serves  you  right 
for  mixing  in  other  people's  business,"  said  Dick 
shortly.  "  Well,  good-night,  and  good  luck  to 
you." 


44  MORE   CARGOES 

To  Mr.  Raggett's  sore  disappointment,  he  kept 
to  his  resolution,  and  being  approached  by  Mr. 
Boom  on  his  elderly  friend's  behalf,  was  rudely 
frank  to  him. 

"  I'm  a  free  man  again,"  he  said  blithely,  "  and 
I  feel  better  than  I've  felt  for  ever  so  long.  More 
manly." 

"  You  ought  to  think  of  other  people,"  said 
Mr.  Boom  severely ;  "think  of  poor  old  Raggett." 

"  Well,  he's  got  a  young  wife  out  of  it,"  said 
Dick.  "  I  dare  say  he'll  be  happy  enough.  He 
wants  somebody  to  help  him  spend  his  money." 

In  this  happy  frame  of  mind  he  resumed  his 
ordinary  life,  and  when  he  encountered  his  former 
idol,  met  her  with  a  heartiness  and  unconcern 
which  the  lady  regarded  with  secret  disapproval. 
He  was  now  so  sure  of  himself  that,  despite  a 
suspicion  of  ulterior  design  on  the  part  of 
Miss  Boom,  he  even  accepted  an  invitation  to 
tea. 

The  presence  of  Mr.  Raggett  made  it  a  slow 
and  solemn  function.  Nobody  with  any  feelings 
could  eat  with  any  appetite  with  that  afflicted 
man  at  the  table,  and  the  meal  passed  almost  in 
silence.  Kate  cleared  the  meal  away,  and  the 
men  sat  at  the  open  door  with  their  pipes  while 
she  washed  up  in  the  kitchen. 

"  Me  an'  Raggett  thought  o*  stepping  down  to 
the  '  Sailor's,'  "  said  Mr.  Boom,  after  a  third  appli- 
cation of  his  friend's  elbow. 


A   SAFETY   MATCH  45 

"  I'll  come  with  you,"  said  Dick. 

"  Well,  we've  got  a  little  business  to  talk  about," 
said  Boom  confidentially  ;  "  but  we  shan't  be  long. 
If  you  wait  here,  Dick,  we'll  see  you  when  we 
come  back." 

"All  right,"  said  Tarrell. 

He  watched  the  two  old  men  down  the  road, 
and  then,  moving  his  chair  back  into  the  room, 
silently  regarded  the  busy  Kate. 

"  Make  yourself  useful,"  said  she  brightly ; 
"  shake  the  tablecloth." 

Tarrell  took  it  to  the  door,  and  having  shaken 
it,  folded  it  with  much  gravity,  and  handed  it 
back. 

"  Not  so  bad  for  a  beginner,"  said  Kate,  taking 
it  and  putting  it  in  a  drawer.  She  took  some 
needlework  from  another  drawer,  and,  sitting 
down,  began  busily  stitching. 

"  Wedding-dress  ?  "  inquired  Tarrell,  with  an 
assumption  of  great  ease. 

"  No,  tablecloth  !  "  said  the  girl,  with  a  laugh. 
"  You'll  want  to  know  a  little  more  before  you  get 
married." 

"  Plenty  o'  time  for  me,"  said  Tarrell ;  "  I'm  in 
no  hurry," 

The  girl  put  her  work  down  and  looked  up 
at  him. 

"  That's  right,"  she  said  staidily.  "  I  suppose 
you  were  rather  surprised  to  hear  I  was  going 
to  get  married  ?  " 


46  MORE   CARGOES 

"  A  little,"  said  Tarrell ;  "  there's  been  so  many 
after  old  Raggett,  I  didn't  think  he'd  ever  be 
caught." 

"  Oh  !  "  said  Kate. 

"  I  daresay  he'll  make  a  very  good  husband," 
said  Tarrell  patronisingly.  "  I  think  you'll  make 
a  nice  couple.     He's  got  a  nice  home." 

"  That's  why  I'm  going  to  marry  him,"  said 
Kate.  '*  Do  you  think  it's  wrong  to  marry  a  man 
for  that?" 

"  That's  your  business,"  said  Tarrell  coldly  ; 
*  speaking  for  myself,  and  not  wishing  to  hurt 
your  feelings,  /  shouldn't  like  to  marry  a  girl  like 
that." 

"  You  mean  you  wouldn't  like  to  marry  me  ?  " 
said  Kate  softly. 

She  leaned  forward  as  she  spoke,  until  her 
breath  fanned  his  face. 

"  That's  what  I  do  mean,"  said  Tarrell,  with  a 
suspicion  of  doggedness  in  his  voice. 

"  Not  even  if  I  asked  you  on  my  bended  knees  ?  " 
said  Kate.     "  Aren't  you  glad  you're  cured  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Tarrell  manfully. 

"  So  am  I,"  said  the  girl  ;  "  and  now  that  you 
are  happy,  just  go  down  to  the  '  Jolly  Sailor's,' 
and  make  poor  old  Raggett  happy  too." 

"How?"  ask  Tarrell. 

"  Tell  him  that  I  have  only  been  having  a  joke 
with  him,"  said  Kate,  surveying  him  with  a  steady 
smile.     "  Tell  him  that  I  overheard  him  and  father 


A   SAFETY    MATCH  47 

talking  one  night,  and  that  I  resolved  to  give  them 
both  a  lesson.  And  tell  them  that  I  didn't  think 
anybody  could  have  been  so  stupid  as  they  have 
been  to  believe  in  it." 

She  leaned  back  in  her  chair,  and,  regarding 
the  dumfounded  Tarrell  with  a  smile  of  wicked 
triumph,  waited  for  him  to  speak.  "  Raggett, 
indeed  !  "  she  said  disdainfully. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Tarrell  at  length,  speaking 
very  slowly,  "  my  being  stupid  was  no  surprise  to 

"  Not  a  bit,"  said  the  girl  cheerfully. 

"  I'll  ask  you  to  tell  Raggett  yourself,"  said 
Tarrell,  rising  and  moving  towards  the  door.  "  I 
sha'n't  see  him.     Good-night." 

"  Good-night,"  said  she.  "  Where  are  you  go- 
ing, then  ?  " 

There  was  no  reply. 

"  Where  are  you  going?"  she  repeated.  Then 
a  suspicion  of  his  purpose  flashed  across  her. 
"  You're  not  foolish  enough  to  be  going  away  ?  " 
she  cried  in  dismay. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  said  Tarrell  slowly. 

"  Because,"  said  Kate,  looking  down — "  oh,  be- 
cause— well,  it's  ridiculous.  I'd  sooner  have  you 
stay  here  and  feel  what  a  stupid  you've  been 
making  of  yourself.  I  want  to  remind  you  of  it 
sometimes." 

"  I  don't  want  reminding,"  said  Tarrell,  taking 
Raggett's  chair  ;  "  I  know  it  now." 


A  RASH   EXPERIMENT 

The  hands  on  the  wharf  had  been  working  all 
Saturday  night  and  well  into  the  Sunday  morning 
to  finish  the  Foa^n,  and  now,  at  ten  o'clock,  with 
hatches  down  and  freshly-scrubbed  decks,  the 
skipper  and  mate  stood  watching  the  tide  as  it 
rose  slowly  over  the  smooth  Thames  mud. 

"  What  time's  she  coming?"  inquired  the  skip- 
per, turning  a  lazy  eye  up  at  the  wharf. 

"  About  ha'-past  ten,  she  said,"  replied  the  mate. 
"  It's  very  good  o'  you  to  turn  out  and  let  her 
have  your  state-room." 

"  Don't  say  another  word  about  that,"  said  the 
skipper  impressively.  "  I've  met  your  wife  once 
or  twice,  George,  an'  I  must  say  that  a  nicer  spoken 
woman,  an'  a  more  well-be'aved  one,  I've  seldom 
seen." 

"  Same  to  you,"  said  the  mate ;  "  your  wife  I 
mean." 

"  Any  man,"  continued  the  skipper,  "  as  would 

lay  in  a  comfortable  state-room,  George,  and  leave 

a  lady  a-trying  to  turn  and  to  dress  and  ondress 

herself    in    a   pokey  little   locker    ought    to    be 

ashamed  of  himself." 

"  You  see,  it's  the  luggage  they  bring,"  said  the 
48 


A   RASH    EXPERIMENT  49 

mate,  slowly  refilling  his  pipe.  "  What  they  want 
with  it  all  I  can't  think.  As  soon  as  my  old 
woman  makes  up  her  mind  to  come  for  a  trip,  to- 
morrow being  Bank  Holiday,  an'  she  being  in  the 
mind  for  a  outing,  what  does  she  do  ?  Goes 
down  Commercial  Road  and  buys  a  bonnet  far 
beyond  her  station," 

"  They're  all  like  it,"  said  the  skipper  ;  "  mine's 
just  as  bad.     What  does  that  boy  want  ?  " 

The  boy  approached  the  edge  of  the  jetty,  and, 
peering  down  at  them,  answered  for  himself. 

"Who's  Captain  Bunnett.''"  he  demanded, 
shrilly. 

"  That's  me,  my  lad,"  said  the  skipper,  looking 
up. 

"  I've  got  a  letter  for  yer,"  said  the  boy,  hold- 
ing it  out. 

The  skipper  held  out  his  hands  and  caught  it ; 
and,  after  reading  the  contents,  felt  his  beard  and 
looked  at  the  mate. 

"  It  never  rains  but  it  pours,"  he  said  figu- 
ratively. 

"  What's  up  ?  "  inquired  the  other. 

"  Ere's  my  old  woman  coming  now,"  said  the 
skipper.  "  Sent  a  note  to  say  she's  getting  ready 
as  fast  as  she  can,  an'  I'm  not  to  sail  on  any 
account  till  she  comes." 

"That's  awkward,"  said  the  mate,  who  felt  that 
he  was  expected  to  say  something. 

"  It  never  struck  me  to  tell  her  your  wife  was 
4 


50  MORE   CARGOES 

coming,"  said  the  skipper.  "  Where  we're  to  put 
'em  both  I  don't  know.  I  s'pose  it's  quite  certain 
your  wife'll  come  ?  " 

"  Certain,"  said  the  mate. 

"  No  chance  of  'er  changing  'er  mind  ? "  sug- 
gested the  skipper,  looking  away  from  him. 

"  Not  now  she's  got  that  bonnet,"  replied  the 
mate.  "  I  s'pose  there's  no  chance  of  your  wife 
changing  hers  ?" 

The  skipper  shook  his  head.  "  There's  one 
thing,"  he  said  hopefully,  "  they'll  be  nice  com- 
pany for  each  other.  They'll  have  to  'ave  the 
state-room  between  'em.  It's  a  good  job  my  wife 
ain't  as  big  as  yours." 

"  We'll  be  able  to  play  four  'anded  wist  some- 
times," said  the  mate,  as  he  followed  the  skipper 
below  to  see  what  further  room  could  be  made. 

"  Crowded  but  jolly,"  said  the  other. 

The  two  cabs  drove  up  almost  at  the  same  mo- 
ment while  they  were  below,  and  Mrs.  Bunnett's 
cabman  had  no  sooner  staggered  on  to  the  jetty 
with  her  luggage  than  Mrs.  Fillson's  arrived  with 
hers.  The  two  ladies,  who  were  entire  strangers, 
stood  regarding  each  other  curiously  as  they 
looked  down  at  the  bare  deck  of  the  Foam. 

"  George  !  "  cried  Mrs.  Fillson,  who  was  a  fine 
woman,  raising  her  voice  almost  to  a  scream  in  the 
effort  to  make  herself  heard  above  the  winch  of  a 
neighbouring  steamer. 

It  was  unfortunate  perhaps  that  both  ofificers  of 


A   RASH    EXPERIMENT  51 

the  schooner  bore  the  same  highly-respectable 
Christian  name. 

"  George  !  "  cried  Mrs.  Bunnett,  glancing  indig- 
nantly at  the  other  lady. 

"  Ge-orge  !  "  cried  Mrs.  Fillson,  returning  her 
looks  with  interest. 

"  Hussey,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett  under  her  breath, 
but  not  very  much  under. 

"  George  ! " 

There  was  no  response. 

"  George  !  "  cried  both  ladies  together. 

Still  no  response,  and  they  made  a  louder 
effort. 

There  was  yet  another  George  on  board,  in  the 
fo'c'sle,  and,  in  response  to  pushes  from  curious 
friends  below,  he  came  up,  and  regarded  the  fair 
duettists  open-mouthed. 

"  What  d'yer  want  ?  "  he  said,  at  length  sheep- 
ishly. 

"  Will  you  tell  Captain  Bunnett  that  his  wife, 
Mrs.  Bunnett,  is  here?"  said  that  lady,  a  thin, 
little  woman  with  bright  black  eyes. 

"Yes,  mum,"  said  the  seaman,  and  was  hurry- 
ing off  when  Mrs.  Fillson  called  him  back. 

"  Will  you  tell  Mr.  Fillson  that  his  wife,  Mrs. 
Fillson,  is  up  here?"  she  said  politely. 

"  All  right,  mum,"  said  the  other,  and  went  be- 
low to  communicate  the  pleasing  tidings.  Both 
husbands  came  up  on  deck  hastily,  and  a  glance 
served  to  show  them  how  their  wives  stood. 


52  MORE   CARGOES 

"  How  do  you  do,  Cap'n  Bunnett,"  said  Mrs. 
Fillson,  with  a  fascinating  smile. 

"  Good-morning,  marm,"  said  the  skipper,  try- 
ing to  avoid  his  wife's  eyes ;  "  that's  my  wife,  Mrs. 
Bunnett." 

"  Good-morning,  ma'am,"  said  Mrs.  Fillson,  ad- 
justing the  new  bonnet  with  the  tips  of  her  fingers. 

"  Good-morning  to  you,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett  in 
a  cold  voice,  but  patronising.  "  You  have  come 
to  bring  your  husband  some  of  his  things,  I 
suppose?  " 

"  She's  coming  with  us,"  said  the  skipper,  in  a 
hurry  to  have  it  over.  "  Wait  half  a  moment, 
and  I'll  help  you  down." 

He  got  up  on  to  the  side  and  helped  them  both 
to  the  deck,  and,  with  a  great  attempt  at  cheery 
conversation,  led  the  way  below,  where,  in  the 
midst  of  an  impressive  silence,  he  explained  that 
the  ladies  would  have  to  share  the  state-room 
between  them. 

"  That's  the  only  way  out  of  it,"  said  the  mate, 
after  waiting  in  vain  for  them  to  say  something. 

"  It's  a  fairish  size  when  you  come  to  look  at 
it,"  said  the  skipper,  putting  his  head  on  one  side 
to  see  whether  the  bunk  looked  larger  that  way. 

"  Pack  three  in  there  at  a  pinch,"  said  the  mate 
hardily. 

Still  the  ladies  said  nothing,  but  tliere  was  a 
storm-signal  hoisted  in  Mrs.  Bunnett's  cheek, 
which   boded    no   good    to  her  husband.     There 


A   RASH    EXPERIMENT  53 

was  room  only  for  one  trunk  in  the  state-room, 
and  by  prompt  generalship  Mrs.  Fillson  got  hers 
in  first.  Having  seen  it  safe  she  went  up  on  deck 
for  a  look  round. 

"  George,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett  fiercely,  as  soon  as 
they  were  alone. 

"  Yes,  my  dear,"  said  her  husband. 

*'  Pack  that  woman  off  home,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett 
sharply. 

"  I  couldn't  do  that,"  said  the  skipper  firmly. 
"  It's  your  own  fault ;  you  should  have  said  you 
was  coming." 

"  Oh,  I  know  you  didn't  want  me  to  come,"  said 
Mrs.  Bunnett,  the  roses  on  her  bonnet  trembling. 
"  The  mate  can  think  of  a  little  pleasure  for  Jiis 
wife,  but  I  can  stay  at  home  and  do  your  mending 
and  keep  the  house  clean.  Oh,  I  know ;  don't 
tell  me." 

"  Well,  it's  too  late  to  alter  it,"  said  her  hus- 
band. "  I  must  get  up  above  now ;  you'd  better 
come  too." 

Mrs.  Bunnett  followed  him  on  deck,  and,  get- 
ting as  far  from  the  mate's  wife  as  possible, 
watched  with  a  superior  air  of  part  ownership  the 
movements  of  the  seamen  as  they  got  under  way. 
A  favorable  westerly  breeze  was  blowing,  and  the 
canvas  once  set  she  stood  by  her  husband  as  he 
pointed  out  the  various  objects  of  interest  on  the 
banks  of  the  river. 

They  were  still  in  the  thick  of   the  traffic  at 


54  MORE   CARGOES 

dinner  time,  so  that  the  skipper  was  able,  to  his 
secret  relief,  to  send  the  mate  below  to  do  the 
honours  of  the  table.  He  came  up  from  it  pale  and 
scared,  and,  catching  the  skipper's  eye,  hunched 
his  shoulders  significantly. 

"  No  words  ?  "  inquired  the  latter  anxiously,  in 
a  half-whisper. 

"  Not  exactly  words,"  replied  the  mate.  "  What 
you  might  call  snacks." 

"  I  know,"  said  the  other  with  a  groan. 

"  If  you  don't  now,"  said  the  mate,  "  you  will  at 
tea  time.  I'm  not  going  to  sit  down  there  with 
them  again  alone.  You  needn't  think  it.  If  you 
was  to  ask  me  what  I've  been  eating  I  couldn't 
tell  you." 

He  moved  off  a  bit  as  his  table  companions 
came  up  on  deck,  and  the  master  of  the  Foam 
deciding  to  take  the  bull  by  the  horns,  called  both 
of  them  to  him,  and  pointed  out  the  beauties  of 
the  various  passing  craft.  In  the  midst  of  his  dis- 
course his  wife  moved  ofT,  leaving  the  unhappy 
man  conversing  alone  with  Mrs.  Fillson,  her  face 
containing  an  expression  such  as  is  seen  in  the 
prints  of  the  very  best  of  martyrs  as  she  watched 
them. 

At  tea  time  the  men  sat  in  misery,  Mrs.  Bunnett 
passed  Mrs.  Fillson  her  tea  without  looking  at 
her,  an  example  which  Mrs.  Fillson  followed  in 
handing  her  the  cut  bread  and  butter.  When  she 
took  the  plate  back  it  was  empty,  and  Mrs.  Bun- 


A  RASH   EXPERIMENT  55 

nett,  convulsed  with  rage,  was  picking  the  slices 
out  of  her  lap. 

"  Oh,  I  am  sorry,"  said  Mrs.  Fillson. 

"  You're  not,  ma'am,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett  fiercely. 
"  You  did  it  a  purpose." 

"  There,  there  !  "  said  both  men  feebly. 

"  Of  course  my  husband'll  sit  quite  calm  and 
see  me  insulted,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett,  rising  angrily 
from  her  seat. 

"And  my  husband'll  sit  still  drinking  tea  while 
I'm  given  the  lie,"  said  Mrs.  Fillson,  bending  an 
indignant  look  upon  the  mate. 

"  If  you  think  I'm  going  to  share  the  state-room 
with  that  woman,  George,  you're  mistaken,"  said 
Mrs.  Bunnett  in  a  terrible  voice.  "  I'd  sooner 
sleep  on  a  doorstep." 

"  And  I'd  sooner  sleep  on  the  scraper,"  said  Mrs. 
Fillson,  regarding  her  foe's  scanty   proportions. 

"  Very  well,  me  an'  the  mate'U  sleep  there," 
said  the  skipper  wearily.  "  You  can  have  the 
mate's  bunk  and  Mrs.  Fillson  can  have  the  locker. 
You  don't  mind,  George  ?  " 

*'  Oh,  George  don't  mind,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett 
mimickingly ;  "  anything'll  do  for  George.  If 
you'd  got  the  spirit  of  a  man,  you  wouldn't  let 
me  be  insulted  like  this." 

"  And  if  you'd  got  the  spirit  of  a  man,"  said  Mrs. 
Fillson,  turning  on  her  husband,  "  you  wouldn't 
let  them  talk  to  me  like  this.  You  never  stick  up 
for  me." 


56  MORE  CARGOES 

She  flounced  up  on  deck  where  Mrs.  Bunnett, 
after  a  vain  attempt  to  finish  her  tea,  shortly- 
followed  her.  The  two  men  continued  their  meal 
for  some  time  in  silence. 

"  We'll  have  to  'ave  a  quarrel  just  to  oblige 
them,  George,"  said  the  skipper  at  length,  as  he 
put  down  his  cup,     "  Nothing  else'll  satisfy  'em." 

"  It  couldn't  be  done,"  said  the  mate,  reaching 
over  and  clapping  him  on  the  back. 

*'  Just  pretend,  I  mean,"  said  the  other. 

"  It  couldn't  be  done  proper,"  said  the  mate  ; 
"  they'd  see  through  it.  We've  sailed  together  five 
years  now,  an'  never  'ad  what  I  could  call  a  really- 
nasty  word." 

"  Well,  if  you  can  think  o'  anything,"  said  the 
skipper,  "  say  so.  This  sort  o'  thing  is  worry- 
ing." 

"  See  how  we  get  on  at  breakfast,"  said  the 
mate,  as  he  lit  his  pipe.  "  If  that's  as  bad  as  this, 
we'll  have  a  bit  of  a  row  to  please  'em." 

Breakfast  next  morning  was,  if  anything,  worse, 
each  lady  directly  inciting  her  lord  to  acts  of  open 
hostility.  In  this  they  were  unsuccessful,  but  in 
the  course  of  the  morning  the  husbands  arranged 
matters  to  their  own  satisfaction,  and  at  the  next 
meal  the  storm  broke  with  violence. 

"  I  don't  wish  to  complain  or  hurt  anybody's 
feelings,"  said  the  skipper,  after  a  side-wink  at  the 
mate,  "  but  if  you  could  eat  your  wittles  with  a 
little  less  noise,  George,  I'd  take  it  as  a  favour." 


A   RASH   EXPERIMENT  57 

"  Would  you  ? "  said  the  mate,  as  his  wife 
stiffened  suddenly  in  her  seat.     "  Oh  !  " 

Both  belligerents,  eyeing  each  other  ferociously, 
tried  hard  to  think  of  further  insults. 

"  Like  a  pig,"  continued  the  skipper  grum- 
blingly. 

The  mate  hesitated  so  long  for  a  crushing  re- 
joinder that  his  wife  lost  all  patience  and  rose  to 
her  feet  crimson  with  wrath. 

"  How  dare  you  talk  to  my  husband  like  that  ?  " 
she  demanded  fiercely.  "  George,  come  up  on 
deck  this  instant !  " 

"  I  don't  mind  what  he  says,"  said  the  mate, 
who  had  only  just  begun  his  dinner. 

"  You  come  away  at  once,"  said  his  wife,  push- 
ing his  plate  from  him. 

The  mate  got  up  with  a  sigh,  and,  meeting  the 
look  of  horror-stricken  commiseration  in  his 
captain's  eye,  returned  it  with  one  of  impotent 
rage. 

**  Use  a  larger  knife,  cap'n,"  he  said  savagely. 
"  You'll  swallow  that  little  'un  one  of  these  days." 

The  skipper,  with  the  weapon  in  question 
gripped  in  his  fist,  turned  round  and  stared  at  him 
in  petrified  amazement. 

"  If  I  wasn't  the  cap'n  o'  this  ship,  George,"  he 
said  huskily,  "  an'  bound  to  set  a  good  example  to 
the  men,  I'd  whop  you  for  them  words." 

"  It's  all  for  your  good.  Captain  Bunnett,"  said 
Mrs.  Fillson  mincingly.     "  There  was  a  poor  old 


58  MORE   CARGOES 

workhouse  man  I  used  to  give  a  penny  to  some- 
times, who  would  eat  with  his  knife,  and  he 
choked  himself  with  it." 

"  Ay,  he  did  that,  and  he  hadn't  got  a  mouth 
half  the  size  o'  yours,"  said  the  mate  warningly. 

"  Cap'n  or  no  cap'n,  crew  or  no  crew,"  said  the 
skipper  in  a  suffocating  voice,  "  I  can't  stand  this. 
Come  up  on  deck,  George,  and  repeat  them 
words." 

"  Before  the  mate  could  accept  the  invitation, 
he  was  dragged  back  by  his  wife,  while  at  the  same 
time  Mrs.  Bunnett,  with  a  frantic  scream,  threw 
her  arms  round  her  husband's  neck,  and  dared 
him  to  move. 

"  You  wait  till  I  get  you  ashore,  my  lad,"  said 
the  skipper  threateningly. 

"  I'll  have  to  bring  the  ship  home  after  I've 
done  with  you,"  retorted  the  mate  as  he  passed  up 
on  deck  with  his  wife. 

During  the  afternoon  the  couples  exchanged 
not  a  word,  though  the  two  husbands  exchanged 
glances  of  fiery  import,  and  later  on,  their  spouses 
being  below,  gradually  drew  near  to  each  other. 
The  mate,  however,  had  been  thinking,  and  as 
they  came  together  met  his  foe  with  a  pleasant 
smile. 

"  Bravo,  old  man,"  he  said  heartily. 

"  What  d'yer  mean  ?  "  demanded  the  skipper  in 
gruff  astonishment. 

"  I  mean  the  way  you  pretended  to  row  me," 


A   RASH   EXPERIMENT  59 

said  the  mate.     "  Splendid  you  did  it.     I  tried  to 
back  you  up,  but  lor !  I  wasn't  in  it  with  you." 

"  What,  d'yer  mean  to  say  you  didn't  mean  what 
you  said  ?  "  inquired  the  other. 

"  Why,  o'  course,"  said  the  mate  with  an  appear- 
ance of  great  surprise.     "  You  didn't,  did  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  skipper,  swallowing  something 
in  his  throat.  "  No,  o'  course  not.  But  you  did 
it  well  too,  George.     Uncommon  well,  you  did." 

"  Not  half  so  well  as  you  did,"  said  the  mate. 
"  Well,  I  s'pose  we've  got  to  keep  it  up  now." 

"  I  s'pose  so,"  said  the  skipper ;  "  but  we 
mustn't  keep  it  up  on  the  same  things,  George. 
Swallerin'  knives  an'  that  sort  o'  thing,  I  mean." 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  mate  hastily. 

"  An'  if  you  could  get  your  missus  to  go  home 
by  train  from  Summercove,  George,  we  might 
have  a  little  peace  and  quietness,"  added  the  other. 

"  She'd  never  forgive  me  if  I  asked  her,"  said 
the  mate:  "you'll  have  to  order  it,  cap'n." 

"  I  won't  do  that,  George,"  said  the  skipper 
firmly.  "I'd  never  treat  a  lady  like  that  aboard 
my  ship.  I  'ope  I  know  'ow  to  behave  myself  if 
I  do  eat  with  my  knife." 

"  Stow  that,"  said  the  mate,  reddening.  "We'll 
wait  an'  see  what  turns  up,"  he  added  hopefully. 

For  the  next  three  days  nothing  fresh  trans- 
pired, and  the  bickering  between  the  couples, 
assumed  on  the  part  of  the  men  and  virulent  on 
the  part  of  their  wives,  went  from  bad  to  worse. 


6o  MORE   CARGOES 

It  was  evident  that  the  ladies  preferred  it  to  any 
other  amusement  life  on  ship-board  could  offer, 
and,  after  a  combined  burst  of  hysterics  on  their 
part,  in  which  the  whole  ship's  company  took  a 
strong  interest,  the  husbands  met  to  discuss  heroic 
remedies. 

"It's  getting  worse  and  worse,"  said  the  skipper 
ruefully.  We'll  be  the  laughing  stock  o'  the  crew 
even  afore  they're  done  with  us.  There's  another 
day  afore  we  reach  Summercove,  there's  five  or 
six  days  there,  an'  at  least  five  back  again." 

"  There'll  be  murder  afore  then,"  said  the  mate, 
shaking  his  head. 

"  If  we  could  only  pack  'em  both  'ome  by  train," 
continued  the  skipper. 

"  That's  an  expense,"  said  the  mate. 

"  It  'ud  be  worth  it,"  said  the  other. 

"  An'  they  wouldn't  do  it,"  said  the  mate, 
"  neither  of  'em." 

"  I've  seen  women  having  rows  afore,"  said  the 
skipper,  "  but  then  they  could  get  away  from  each 
other.  It's  being  boxed  up  in  this  little  craft  as 
does  the  mischief." 

"  S'pose  we  pretend  the  ship's  not  seaworthy," 
said  the  mate. 

"  Then  they'd  stand  by  us,"  said  the  skipper, 
"  closer  than  ever." 

"  I  b'leeve  they  would,"  said  the  mate.  "  They'd 
go  fast  enough  if  we'd  got  a  case  o'  small-pox  oi 
anything  like  that  aboard,  though." 


A   RASH    EXPERIMENT  6l 

The  skipper  grunted  assent. 

"  It  'ud  be  worth  trying,"  said  the  mate.  "We've 
pretended  to  have  a  quarrel.  Now  just  as  we're 
going  into  port  let  one  of  the  hands,  the  boy 
if  you  like,  pretend  he's  sickening  for  small- 
pox." 

"  How's  he  going  to  do  it  ? "  inquired  the 
skipper  derisively. 

"  You  leave  it  to  me,"  replied  the  other.  "I've 
got  an  idea  how  it's  to  be  done." 

Against  his  better  judgment  the  skipper,  after 
some  demur,  consented,  and  the  following  day, 
when  the  passengers  were  on  deck  gazing  at  the 
small  port  of  Summercove  as  they  slowly 
approached  it,  the  cook  came  up  excitedly  and 
made  a  communication  to  the  skipper. 

"  What  ?  "  cried  the  latter.     "  Nonsense." 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Bunnett, 
turning  round. 

"  Cook,  here,  has  got  it  into  his  head  that  the 
boy's  got  the  small-pox,"  said  the  skipper. 

Both  women  gave  a  faint  scream. 

"  Nonsense,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett,  with  a  pale 
face. 

"  Rubbish,"  said  Mrs.  Fillson,  clasping  her 
hands  nervously. 

"  Very  good,  mum,"  said  the  cook  calmly. 
"  You  know  best,  o'  course,  but  I  was  on  a  barque 
once  what  got  it  aboard  bad,  and  I  think  I  02{£^/ii 
to  know  it  when  I  see  it." 


62  MORE    CARGOES 

"  Yes ;  and  now  you  think  everything's  the 
small-pox,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett  uneasily. 

"  Very  well,  mum,"  said  the  cook,  spreading  out 
his  hands.  "  Will  you  come  down  an'  'ave  a  look 
at  im? 

"  No,"  snapped  Mrs.  Bunnett,  retreating  a  pace 
or  two. 

"  Will  you  come  down  an*  'ave  a  look  at  'im, 
sir,"  inquired  the  cook. 

"  You  stay  where  you  are,  George,"  said  Mrs. 
Bunnett  shrilly,  as  her  husband  moved  forward. 
*'  Go  farther  off,  cook." 

"  And  keep  your  tongue  still  when  we  get  to 
port,"  said  the  mate.  "  Don't  go  blabbing  it  all 
over  the  place,  mind,  or  we  sha'n't  get  nobody  to 
work  us  out." 

"Ay,  ay,"  said  the  cook,  moving  off.  "  I  ain't 
afraid  of  it — I've  given  it  to  people,  but  I've  never 
took  it  myself  yet." 

"  I'm  sure  I  wish  I  was  off  this  dreadful  ship," 
said  Mrs.  Fillson  nervously.  "  Nothing  but  un- 
pleasantness. How  long  before  we  get  to  Sum- 
mercove,  Cap'n  Bunnett  ?  " 

"  'Bout  a  'our  an'  a  'arf  ought  to  do  it,"  said  the 
skipper. 

Both  ladies  sighed  anxiously,  and,  going  as  far 
aft  as  possible,  gazed  eagerly  at  the  harbour  as  it 
opened  out  slowly  before  them. 

"  I  shall  go  back  by  train,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett. 
"  It's  a  shame,  having  my  holiday  spoilt  like  this." 


A   RASH    EXPERIMENT  63 

"  It's  one  o'  them  things  what  can't  be  helped," 
said  her  husband  piously. 

"  You'd  had  better  give  me  a  little  money,"  con- 
tinued his  wife.  "  I  shall  get  lodgings  in  the  town 
for  a  day  or  two,  till  I  see  how  things  are  going." 

"It  'ud  be  better  for  you  to  get  straight  back 
home,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  Nonsense,"  said  his  wife,  sharply.  "  Suppose 
you  take  it  yourself,  I  should  have  to  be  here  to 
see  you  were  looked  after.  I'm  sure  Mrs.  Fillson 
isn't  going  home." 

Mrs.  Fillson,  holding  out  her  hand  to  Mr. 
Fillson,  said  she  was  sure  she  wasn't. 

"  It'd  be  a  load  of  our  minds  if  you  did  go," 
said  the  mate  speaking  for  both. 

"  Well,  we're  not  going  for  a  day  or  two  at  any 
rate,"  said  Mrs.  Bunnett,  glancing  almost  amiably 
at  Mrs.  Fillson. 

In  face  of  this  declaration,  and  in  view  of  the 
the  persistent  demands  of  the  ladies,  both  men, 
with  a  very  ill  grace  furnished  them  with  some 
money. 

"  Don't  say  a  word  about  it  ashore  mind,"  said 
the  mate,  avoiding  his  chief's  indignant  gaze. 

"  But  you  must  have  a  doctor,"  said  Mrs. 
Bunnett. 

"  I  know  of  a  doctor  here,"  said  the  mate  ; 
"  that's  all  arranged  for." 

He  moved  away  for  a  little  private  talk  with 
the  skipper,  but  that  gentleman  was  not  in  a  con- 


64  MORE   CARGOES 

versational  mood,  and  a  sombre  silence  fell  upon 
all  until  they  were  snugly  berthed  at  Summercove, 
and  the  ladies,  preceded  by  their  luggage  on  a 
trolly,  went  off  to  look  for  lodgings.  They  sent 
down  an  hour  later  to  say  that  they  had  found 
them,  and  that  they  were  very  clean  and  comfort- 
able, but  a  little  more  than  they  had  intended  to 
give.  They  implored  their  husbands  not  to  run 
any  unnecessary  risks,  and  sent  some  disinfectant 
soap  for  them  to  wash  with. 

For  three  days  they  kept  their  lodgings  and  be- 
came fast  friends,  going,  despite  their  anxiety,  for 
various  trips  in  the  neighbourhood.  Twice  a  day 
at  least  they  sent  down  beef-tea  and  other  delica- 
cies for  the  invalid,  which  never  got  farther  than 
the  cabin,  communication  being  kept  up  by  a 
small  boy  who  had  strict  injunctions  not  to  go 
aboard.  On  the  fourth  day  in  the  early  morning 
they  came  down  as  close  to  the  ship  as  they  dared 
to  bid  farewell. 

"  Write  if  there's  any  change  for  the  worse," 
cried  Mrs.  Bunnett. 

"  Or  if  you  get  it,  George,"  cried  Mrs.  Fillson 
anxiously. 

"  It's  all  right,  he's  going  on  beautiful,"  said  the 
mate. 

The  two  wives  appeared  to  be  satisfied,  and 
with  a  final  adieu  went  off  to  the  railway  station, 
turning  at  every  few  yards  to  wave  farewells  until 
they  were  out  of  sight. 


A   PASH    EXPERIMENT  6$ 

"  If  ever  I  have  another  woman  aboard  my 
ship,  George,"  said  the  skipper,  "  I'll  run  into 
something.     Who's  the  old  gentleman  ?  " 

He  nodded  in  the  direction  of  an  elderly  man 
with  white  side  whiskers  who,  with  a  black  bag  in 
his  hand,  was  making  straight  for  the  schooner. 

"  Captain  Bunnett  ?  "  he  inquired  sharply. 

"  That's  me,  sir,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  Your  wife  sent  me,"  said  the  tall  man  briskly. 
*'  My  name's  Thompson — Dr.  Thompson.  She 
says  you've  got  a  case  of  small-pox  on  board  which 
she  wants  me  to  see." 

"  We've  got  a  doctor,"  said  the  skipper  and 
mate  together. 

"  So  your  wife  said,  but  she  wished  me  particu- 
larly to  see  the  case,"  said  Dr.  Thompson.  "  It's 
also  my  duty  as  the  medical   officer  of  the  port." 

"  You've  done  it,  George,  you've  done  it," 
moaned  the  panic-stricken  skipper  reproach- 
fully. 

"  Well,  anybody  can  make  a  mistake,"  whispered 
the  mate  back ;  "  an'  he  can't  touch  us,  as  it  am'i 
small-pox.  Let  him  come,  and  we'll  lay  it  on  to 
the  cook.     Say  he  made  a  mistake," 

"  That's  the  ticket,"  said  the  skipper,  and  turned 
to  assist  the  doctor  to  the  deck  as  the  mate  hur- 
ried below  to  persuade  the  indignant  boy  to  strip 
and  go  bed. 

In  the  midst  of  a  breathless  silence  the  doctor 
examined  the  patient ;  then,  to  the  surprise  of  all, 
5 


66  MORE   CARGOES 

he  turned  to  the  crew  and  examined  them  one 
after  the  other. 

"How  long  has  this  boy  been  ill?"  he  de- 
manded. 

"  About  four  days,"  said  the  puzzled  skipper. 

"  You  see  what  comes  of  trying  to  hush  this  kind 
of  thing  up,"  said  the  doctor  sternly.  "  You  keep 
the  patient  down  here  instead  of  having  him  taken 
away  and  the  ship  disinfected,  and  now  all  these 
other  poor  fellows  have  got  it." 

"  W/iat  ? "  screamed  the  skipper,  as  the  crew 
broke  into  profane  expressions  of  astonishment 
and  self-pity.     "  Got  what  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  small-pox,"  said  the  doctor.  "  Got 
it  in  its  worst  form  too.  Suppressed.  There's  not 
one  of  them  got  a  mark  on  him.     It's  all  inside." 

"  Well,  I'm  damned,"  said  the  skipper,  as  the 
crew  groaned  despairingly. 

"  What  else  did  you  expect  ? "  inquired  the 
doctor  wrathfuUy.  "  Well,  they  can't  be  moved 
now  ;  they  must  all  go  to  bed,  and  you  and  the 
mate  must  nurse  them." 

"And  s'pose  we  catch  it?"  said  the  mate  feel- 
ingly. 

"  You  must  take  your  chance,"  said  the  doctor ; 
then  he  relented  a  little.  "  I'll  try  and  send  a 
couple  of  nurses  down  this  afternoon,"  he  added. 
"  In  the  mean  time  you  must  do  what  you  can  for 
them." 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  said  the  skipper  brokenly. 


A   RASH   EXPERIMENT  6/ 

"  All  you  can  do  at  present,"  said  the  doctor  as 
he  slowly  mounted  the  steps,  "  is  to  sponge  them 
all  over  with  cold  water.  Do  it  every  half-hour  till 
the  rash  comes  out." 

"  Very  good,"  said  the  skipper  again.  "  But 
you'll  hurry  up  with  the  nurses,  sir! " 

He  stood  in  a  state  of  bewilderment  until  the 
doctor  was  out  of  sight,  and  then,  with  a  heavy 
sigh,  took  his  coat  off  and  set  to  work. 

He  and  the  mate,  after  warning  off  the  men 
who  had  come  down  to  work,  spent  all  the  morn- 
ing in  sponging  their  crew,  waiting  with  an  impa- 
tience born  of  fatigue  for  the  rash  to  come  out. 
This  impatience  was  shared  by  the  crew,  the  state 
of  mind  of  the  cook  after  the  fifth  sponging  calling 
for  severe  rebuke  on  the  part  of  the  skipper. 

"  I  wish  the  nurses  'ud  come,  George,"  he  said, 
as  they  sat  on  the  deck  panting  after  their  exer- 
tions ;  "  this  is  a  pretty  mess  if  you  like." 

"  Seems  like  a  judgment,"  said  the  mate  wearily. 

"  HuUoa,  there,"  came  a  voice  from  the  quay. 

Both  men  turned  and  looked  up  at  the  speaker. 

**  Hulloa,"  said  the  skipper  dully. 

"  What's  all  this  about  small-pox  ?  "  demanded 
the  newcomer  abruptly. 

The  skipper  waved  his  hand  languidly  towards 
the  fo'c'sle. 

'•  Five  of  'em  down  with  it,"  he  said  quietly. 
"Are  you  another  doctor,  sir?  " 

Without  troubling  to  reply  their  visitor  jumped 


68  MORE   CARGOES 

on  board  and  went  nimbly  below,  followed  by  the 
other  two. 

"  Stand  out  of  the  light,"  he  said  brusquely. 
'*  Now,  my  lads,  let's  have  a  look  at  you." 

He  examined  them  in  a  state  of  bewilderment, 
grunting  strangely  as  the  washed-out  men  sub- 
mitted to  his  scrutiny. 

''  They've  had  the  best  of  cold  sponging,"  said 
the  skipper,  not  without  a  little  pride. 

"  Best  of  what  ?  "  demanded  the  other. 

The  skipper  told  him,  drawing  back  indignantly 
as  the  doctor  suddenly  sat  down  and  burst  into  a 
hoarse  roar  of  laughter.  The  unfeeling  noise 
grated  harshly  on  the  sensitive  ears  of  the  sick 
men,  and  Joe  Burrows,  raising  himself  in  his  bunk, 
made  a  feeble  attempt  to  hit  him. 

"  You've  been  sold,"  said  the  doctor,  wiping  his 
eyes. 

"  I  don't  take  your  meaning,"  said  the  skipper, 
with  dignity. 

"  Somebody's  been  having  a  joke  with  you," 
said  the  doctor.  "  Get  up,  you  fools,  you've  got 
about  as  much  small-pox  as  I  have." 

"  Do   you    mean   to   tell   me "   began    the 

skipper. 

"  Somebody's  been  having  a  joke  with  you,  I 
tell  you,"  repeated  the  doctor,  as  the  men,  with 
sundry  oaths,  half  of  relief,  half  of  dudgeon,  got 
out  of  bed  and  began  groping  for  their  clothes. 
"  Who  is  it,  do  you  think  ?  " 


A   RASH   EXPERIMENT  69 

The  skipper  shook  his  head,  and  the  mate, 
following  his  lead,  in  duty  bound,  shook  his ;  but 
a  little  while  after,  as  they  sat  by  the  wheel 
smoking  and  waiting  for  the  men  to  return  to 
work  the  cargo  out,  they  were  more  confidential. 
The  skipper  removed  his  pipe  from  his  mouth, 
and,  having  eyed  the  mate  for  some  time  in 
silence,  jerked  his  thumb  in  the  direction  of  the 
railway  station.  The  mate,  with  a  woe-begone 
nod,  assented. 


THE  CABIN  PASSENGER 

The  captain  of  the  Fearless  came  on  to  the  wharf 
in  a  manner  more  suggestive  of  deer-stalking  than 
that  of  a  prosaic  shipmaster  returning  to  his  craft. 
He  dodged  round  an  empty  van,  lurked  behind  an 
empty  barrel,  fhtted  from  that  to  a  post,  and  finally 
from  the  interior  of  a  steam  crane  peeped  melo- 
dramatically on  to  the  deck  of   his  craft. 

To  the  ordinary  observer  there  was  no  cause  for 
alarm.  The  decks  were  a  bit  slippery  but  not 
dangerous  except  to  a  novice ;  the  hatches  were 
on,  and  in  the  lighted  galley  the  cook  might  be 
discovered  moving  about  in  a  manner  indicative 
of  quiet  security  and  an  untroubled  conscience. 

With  a  last  glance  behind  him  the  skipper 
descended  from  the  crane  and  stepped  lightly 
aboard. 

"  Hist,"  said  the  cook,  coming  out  quietly.  "I've 
been  watching  for  you  to  come." 

"  Damned  fine  idea  of  watching  you've  got," 
said  the  skipper  irritably.     "  What  is  it  ?  " 

The  cook  jerked  his  thumb  towards  the  cabin. 

"  He's  down  there,"  he  said  in  a  hoarse  whisper. 

"  The  mate  said  when  you  came  aboard  you  was 

just  to   go  and   stand  near  the  companion  and 
70 


THE   CABIN   PASSENGER  7I 

whistle  'God  Save  the  Queen'  and  he'll  come 
up  to  you  to  see  what's  to  be  done." 

"  Whistle  !  "  said  the  skipper,  trying  to  moisten 
his  parched  lips  with  his  tongue.  "  I  couldn't 
whistle  just  now  to  save  my  life." 

"  The  mate  don't  know  what  to  do,  and  that 
was  to   be  the   signal,"  said    the    cook.      "  He's 

down  there  with  him  givin'  'im  drink  and  amoosin' 

»• »» 

im. 

"  Well,  you  go  and  whistle  it,"  said  the  skipper. 

The  cook  wiped  his  mouth  on  the  back  of  his 
hand.  "  Ow  does  it  go  ?  "  he  inquired  anxiously, 
"  I  never  could  remember  toones." 

"  Oh,  go  and  tell  Bill  to  do  it  ?  "  said  the  skipper 
impatiently. 

Summoned  noiselessly  by  the  cook,  Bill  came 
up  from  the  forecastle,  and  on  learning  what  was 
required  of  him  pursed  up  his  lips  and  started 
our  noble  anthem  with  a  whistle  of  such  richness 
and  volume  that  the  horrified  skipper  was  almost 
deafened  with  it.  It  acted  on  the  mate  like  a 
charm,  and  he  came  from  below  and  closed  Bill's 
mouth,  none  too  gently,  with  a  hand  which  shook 
with  excitement.  Then,  as  quietly  as  possible, 
he  closed  the  companion  and  secured  the  fasten- 
ings. 

"  He's  all  right,"  he  said  to  the  skipper  breath- 
lessly. "  He's  a  prisoner.  He's  'ad  four  goes  o' 
whisky,  an'  he  seems  inclined  to  sleep." 

"  Who  let  him  go  down  the  cabin,"  demanded 


72  MORE   CARGOES 

the  skipper  angrily,  "  It's  a  fine  thing  I  can't 
leave  the  ship  for  an  hour  or  so  but  what  I  come 
back  and  find  people  sitting  all  round  my  cabin." 

"  He  let  hisself  darn,"  said  the  cook,  who  saw  a 
slight  opening  advantageous  to  himself  in  con- 
nection with  a  dish  smashed  the  day  before,  "  an' 
I  was  that  surprised,  not  to  say  alarmed,  that  I 
dropped  the  large  dish  and  smashed  it." 

"  What  did  he  say  ?"  inquired  the  skipper. 

"  The  blue  one,  I  mean,"  said  the  cook,  who 
wanted  that  matter  settled  for  good,  "  the  one 
with  the  place  at  the  end  for  the  gravy  to  run 
into." 

"  What  did  he  say  ?  "  vociferated  the  skipper. 

"  'E  ses,  '  'ullo,'  he  ses,  'you've  done  it  now,  old 
man,'  "  replied  the  truthful  cook. 

The  skipper  turned  a  furious  face  to  the  mate. 

"  When  the  cook  come  up  and  told  me,"  said 
the  mate,  in  answer,  "  I  see  at  once  what  was 
up,  so  I  went  down  and  just  talked  to  him  clever 
like." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  what  you  said,"  mut- 
tered the  skipper. 

"  Well,  if  you  think  you  can  do  better  than  I 
did  you'd  better  go  down  and  see  him,"  retorted 
the  mate  hotly.  "After  all,  it's  you  what  'e  come 
to  see.     He's  your  visitor." 

"  No  offence,  Bob,"  said  the  skipper.  "  I  didn't 
mean  nothing." 

"  I   don't  know  nothin'   o'  horse  racin',"  con- 


THE   CABIN   PASSENGER  73 

tinued  the  mate,  with  an  insufferable  air,  "  and  I 
never  'ad  no  money  troubles  in  my  life,  bein'  al- 
ways brought  up  proper  at  'ome  and  warned  of 
what  would  'appen,  but  I  know  a  sheriff's  ofificer 
when  I  see  'im." 

"  What  am  I  to  do  ?  "  groaned  the  skipper,  too 
depressed  even  to  resent  his  subordinate's  manner, 
"  it's  a  judgment  summons.  It's  ruin  if  he  gets 
me." 

"  Well,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  the  only  thing  for 
you  to  do  is  to  miss  the  ship  this  trip,"  said  the 
mate,  without  looking  at  him.  ''  I  can  take  her 
out  all  right." 

"  I  won't,"  said  the  skipper,  interrupting  fiercely. 

"Very  well,  you'll  be  nabbed,"  said  the  mate. 

"  You've  been  wanting  to  handle  this  craft  a 
long  time,"  said  the  skipper  fiercely.  "  You  could 
ha'  got  rid  of  him  if  you'd  wanted  to.  He's  no 
business  down  my  cabin." 

"  I  tried  everything  I  could  think  of,"  assev- 
erated the  mate. 

"  Well,  he's  come  down  on  my  ship  without 
being  asked,"  said  the  skipper  fiercely,  "  and 
damme  he  can  stay  there.     Cast  off." 

"  But,"  said  the  mate,  "  s'pose " 

"  Cast  off,"  repeated  the  skipper.  "  He's  come 
on  my  ship,  and  I'll  give  him  a  trip  free." 

"  And  where  are  you  and  the  mate  to  sleep  ?  " 
inquired  the  cook,  who  was  a  man  of  pessimistic 
turn  of  mind  and  given  to  forebodings. 


74  MORE  CARGOES 

"  In  your  bunks,"  said  the  skipper  brutally. 
"  Cast  off  there." 

The  men  obeyed,  grinning,  and  the  schooner 
was  soon  threading  her  way  in  the  darkness  down 
the  river,  the  skipper  listening  somewhat  nerv- 
ously for  the  first  intimation  of  his  captive's 
awakening. 

He  listened  in  vain  that  night,  for  the  prisoner 
made  no  sign,  but  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
when  the  Fearless,  coming  within  sight  of  the 
Nore,  began  to  dance  like  a  cork  upon  the  waters, 
the  mate  reported  hollow  groans  from  the  cabin. 

"  Let  him  groan,"  said  the  skipper  briefly,  "  as 
holler  as  he  likes." 

"  Well,  I'll  just  go  down  and  see  how  he  is," 
said  the  mate. 

"  You  stay  where  you  are,"  said  the  skipper 
sharply. 

"  Well,  but  you  ain't  going  to  starve  the  man  ?  " 

"  Nothing  to  do  with  me,"  said  the  skipper 
ferociously  ;  "  if  a  man  likes  to  come  down  and 
stay  in  my  cabin  that's  his  business.  I'm  not 
supposed  to  know  he's  there,  and  if  I  like  to  lock 
my  cabin  up  and  sleep  in  a  fo's'c'le  what's  got 
more  fleas  in  than  ten  other  fo'c's'les  put  together, 
and  what  smells  worse  than  ten  fo'c's'les  rolled 
into  one,  that's  my  business." 

"  Yes,  but  I  don't  want  to  berth  for'ard  too," 
grumbled  the  other.  "  He  can't  touch  me.  I  can 
go  and  sleep  in  my  berth." 


THE  CABIN  PASSENGER  75 

"You'll  do  what  I  wish,  my  lad,"  said  the 
skipper. 

"  I'm  the  mate,"  said  the  other  darkly. 

"  And  I'm  the  master,"  said  the  other  ;  "  if  the 
master  of  a  ship  can  stay  down  the  fo'c's'le,  I'm 
sure  a  tuppeny-ha'penny  mate  can." 

"  The  men  don't  like  it,"  objected  the  mate. 

"  Damn  the  men,"  said  the  skipper  politely, 
"  and  as  to  starving  the  chap,  there's  a  water- 
bottle  full  o'  water  in  my  state-room,  to  say 
nothing  of  a  jug,  and  a  bag  o'  biscuits  under  the 
table." 

The  mate  walked  off  whistling,  and  the  skipper, 
by  no  means  so  easy  in  his  mind  as  he  pretended 
to  be,  began  to  consider  ways  and  means  out  of 
the  difficulty  which  he  foresaw  must  occur  when 
they  reached  port. 

"  What  sort  o'  looking  chap  is  he  ?  "  he  inquired 
of  the  cook. 

"  Big,  strong-looking  chap,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Look  as  though  he'd  make  a  fuss  if  I  sent  you 
and  Bill  down  below  to  gag  him  when  we  get  to 
the  other  end  ?  "  suggested  the  skipper. 

The  cook  said  that  judging  by  appearances 
"  fuss  "  would  be  no  word  for  it. 

"  I  can't  understand  him  keeping  so  quiet,"  said 
the  skipper,  "  that's  what  gets  over  me." 

"  He's  biding  'is  time,  I  expect,"  said  the  cook 
comfortingly.  "  He's  a  'ard  looking  customer, 
'sides  which  he's  likely  sea-sick." 


76  MORE   CARGOES 

The  day  passed  slowly,  and  as  night  approached 
a  sense  of  mystery  and  discomfort  overhung  the 
vessel.  The  man  at  the  wheel  got  nervous,  and 
flattered  Bill  into  keeping  him  company  by  asking 
him  to  spin  him  a  yarn.  He  had  good  reason  for 
believing  that  he  knew  his  comrade's  stock  of 
stories  by  heart,  but  in  the  sequel  it  transpired 
that  there  was  one,  of  a  prisoner  turning  into  a 
cat  and  getting  out  of  the  porthole  and  running 
up  helmsmen's  backs,  which  he  hadn't  heard 
before.  And  he  told  Bill  in  the  most  effective 
language  he  could  command  that  he  never  wanted 
to  hear  it  again. 

The  night  passed  and  day  broke,  and  still  the 
mysterious  passenger  made  no  sign.  The  crew 
got  in  the  habit  of  listening  at  the  companion  and 
peeping  through  the  skylight ;  but  the  door  of  the 
state-room  was  closed,  and  the  cabin  itself  as 
silent  as  the  grave.  The  skipper  went  about  with 
a  troubled  face,  and  that  afternoon,  unable  to 
endure  the  suspense  any  longer,  civilly  asked  the 
mate  to  go  below  and  investigate. 

"  I'd  rather  not,"  said  the  mate,  shrugging  his 
shoulders. 

"  I'd  sooner  he  served  me  and  have  done  with 
it,"  said  the  skipper.  "  I  get  thinking  all  sorts  of 
awful  things." 

"  Well,  why  don't  you  go  down  yourself,"  said 
the  mate.  "  He'd  serve  you  fast  enough,  I've  no 
doubt." 


THE   CABIN   PASSENGER  TJ 

"  Well,  it  may  be  just  his  artfulness,"  said  the 
skipper ;  "  an'  I  don't  want  to  humour  him  if  he's 
all  right.     I'm  askin'  it  as  a  favour,  Bob." 

"  I'll  go  if  the  cook'll  come,"  said  the  mate  after 
a  pause. 

The  cook  hesitated. 

"  Go  on,  cook,"  said  the  skipper  sharply  ;  "  don't 
keep  the  mate  waiting,  and,  whatever  you  do,  don't 
let  him  come  up  on  deck." 

The  mate  led  the  way  to  the  companion,  and, 
opening  it  quietly,  led  the  way  below,  followed  by 
the  cook.  There  was  a  minute's  awful  suspense, 
and  then  a  wild  cry  rang  out  below,  and  the  couple 
came  dashing  madly  up  on  deck  again. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  inquired  the  pallid  skipper. 

The  mate,  leaning  for  support  against  the  wheel, 
opened  his  mouth,  but  no  words  came ;  the  cook, 
his  hands  straight  by  his  side  and  his  eyes  glassy, 
made  a  picture  from  which  the  crew  drew  back  in 
awe. 

"What's  —  the  —  matter?"  said  the  skipper 
again. 

Then  the  mate,  regaining  his  composure  by  an 
effort,  spoke. 

"  You  needn't  trouble  to  fasten  the  companion 
again,"  he  said  slowly. 

The  skipper's  face  changed  from  white  to  grey. 
"  Why  not  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  trembling  voice. 
"  He's  dead,"  was  the  solemn  reply. 
"  Nonsense,"  said  the  other,  with  quivering  lips. 


78  MORE   CARGOES 

"  He's  shamming  or  else  fainting.  Did  you  try  to 
bring  him  round  ?  " 

"  I  did  not,"  said  the  mate.  "  I  don't  deceive 
you.  I  didn't  stay  down  there  to  do  no  restoring, 
and  I  don't  think  you  would  either." 

"  Go  down  and  see  whether  you  can  wake  him, 
cook,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  Not  me,"said  the  cook  with  a  mighty  shudder. 

Two  of  the  hands  went  and  peeped  furtively 
down  through  the  skylight.  The  empty  cabin 
looked  strangely  quiet  and  drear,  and  the  door  of 
the  state-room  stood  ajar.  There  was  nothing  to 
satisfy  their  curiosity,  but  they  came  back  look- 
ing as  though  they  had  seen  a  ghost. 

"  What's  to  be  done  ?  "  said  the  skipper,  help- 
lessly. 

"  Nothing  can  be  done,"  said  the  mate.  "  He's 
beyond  our  aid." 

"  I  wasn't  thinking  about  him,''  said  the  skipper. 

*'  Well,  the  best  thing  you  can  do  when  we  get 
to  Plymouth  is  to  bolt,"  said  the  mate.  "  We'll 
hide  it  up  as  long  as  we  can  to  give  you  a  start. 
It's  a  hanging  matter." 

The  hapless  master  of  the  Fearless  wiped  his 
clammy  brow.  "  I  can't  think  he's  dead,"  he  said 
slowly.     "  Who'll   come  down  with  me  to  see  ?  " 

"You'd  better  leave  it  alone,"  said  the  mate 
kindly,  "  it  ain't  pleasant,  and  besides  that  we  can 
all  swear  up  to  the  present  that  you  haven't 
touched  him  or  been  near  him." 

"  Who'll  come  down  with  me  ?  "  repeated  the 


THE  CABIN    PASSENGER  79 

skipper.  "  I  believe  it's  a  trick,  and  that  he'll 
start  up  and  serve  me,  but  I  feel  I  must  go." 

He  caught  Bill's  eye,  and  that  worthy  seaman, 
after  a  short  tussle  with  his  nerves,  shufifled  after 
him.  The  skipper  brushing  aside  the  mate,  who 
sought  to  detain  him,  descended  first,  and  entering 
the  cabin  stood  hesitating,  with  Bill  close  behind 
him. 

"  Just  open  the  door.  Bill,"  he  said  slowly. 

"  Arter  you,  sir,"  said  the  well-bred  Bill. 

The  skipper  stepped  slowly  towards  it  and  flung 
it  suddenly  open.  Then  he  drew  back  with  a 
sharp  cry  and  looked  nervously  about  him.  The 
bed  was  empty. 

"  Where's  he  gone?  "  whispered  the  trembling 
Bill. 

"  The  other  made  no  reply,  but  in  a  dazed  fash- 
ion began  to  grope  about  the  cabin.  It  was  a 
small  place  and  soon  searched,  and  the  two  men 
sat  down  and  eyed  each  other  in  blank  amazement. 

"Where  is  he?  "  said  Bill  at  length. 

The  skipper  shook  his  head  helplessly,  and  was 
about  to  ascribe  the  mystery  to  supernatural 
agencies,  when  the  truth  in  all  its  naked  simplicity 
flashed  upon  him,  and  he  spoke.  "  It's  the  mate," 
he  said  slowly,  "  the  mate  and  the  cook.  I  see  it 
all  now;  there's  never  been  anybody  here.  It 
was  a  little  job  on  the  mate's  part  to  get  the  ship. 
If  you  want  to  hear  a  couple  o'  rascals  sized  up, 
Bill,  come  on  deck." 

And  Bill,  grinning  in  anticipation,  went. 


''CHOICE  SPIRITS" 

The  day  was  fine  and  the  breeze  so  light 
that  the  old  patched  sails  were  taking  the 
schooner  :.long  at  a  gentle  three  knots  per  hour. 
A  sail  or  two  shone  like  snow  in  the  offing,  and  a 
gull  hovered  in  the  air  astern.  From  the  cabin  to 
the  galley,  and  from  the  galley  to  the  untidy 
tangle  in  the  bows,  there  was  no  sign  of  life  to 
benefit  by  the  conversation  of  the  skipper  and 
mate  as  they  discussed  a  wicked  and  mutinous 
spirit  which  had  become  observable  in  the  crew. 

"  It's  sheer,  rank  wickedness,  that's  what  it  is," 
said  the  skipper,  a  small,  elderly  man,  with  grizzled 
beard  and  light  blue  eyes. 

"  Rank,"  agreed  the  mate,  whose  temperament 
was  laconic. 

"  Why,  when  I  was  a  boy  you  wouldn't  believe 
what  I  had  to  eat,"  said  the  skipper  ;  "  not  if  I 
took  my  Bible  oath  on  it,  you  wouldn't." 

"  They're  dainty,"  said  the  mate. 

"  Dainty  !  "  said  the  other  indignantly,    "  What 

right  have  hungry  sailormen  to  be  dainty?    Don't 

I    give    them    enough    to    eat  ?      Look !      Look 

there  !  " 

He  drew  back,  choking,  and  pointed  with  his 
80 


"  CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  8l 

forefinger  as  Bill  Smith,  A.B.,  came  on  deck  with 
a  plate  held  at  arm's  length,  and  a  nose  disdain- 
fully elevated.  He  affected  not  to  see  the  skip- 
per, and,  walking  in  a  mincing  fashion  to  the  side, 
raked  the  food  from  the  plate  into  the  sea  with 
his  fingers.  He  was  followed  by  George  Simpson, 
A.B.,  who  in  the  same  objectionable  fashion 
wasted  food  which  the  skipper  had  intended 
should  nourish  his  frame. 

"  I'll  pay  'em  for  this,"  murmured  the  skipper. 

"  There's  some  more,"  said  the  mate. 

Two  more  men  came  on  deck,  grinning  con- 
sciously, and  disposed  of  their  dinners.  Then 
there  was  an  interval — an  interval  in  which  every- 
body fore  and  aft,  appeared  to  be  waiting  for 
something ;  the  something  being  at  that  precise 
moment  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  foc'sle  ladder, 
trying  to  screw  its  courage  up. 

"  If  the  boy  comes,"  said  the  skipper  in  a 
strained,  unnatural  voice,  "  I'll  flay  him  alive." 

"  You'd  better  get  your  knife  out,  then,"  said 
the  mate. 

The  boy  appeared  on  deck,  very  white  about 
the  gills,  and  looking  piteously  at  the  crew  for 
support.  He  became  conscious  from  their  scowls 
that  he  had  forgotten  something,  and  remember- 
ing himself,  stretched  out  his  skinny  arms  to  their 
full  extent,  and,  crinkling  his  nose,  walked  with 
great  trepidation  to  the  side. 

"  Boy !  "  vociferated  the  skipper  suddenly. 
6 


82  MORE   CARGOES 

"Yessir,"  said  the  urchin  hastily. 

"  Comm'ere,"  said  the  skipper  sternly. 

"  Shove  your  dinner  over  first,"  said  four  low, 
menacing  voices. 

The  boy  hesitated,  then  walked  slowly  towards 
the  skipper. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  dinner?" 
demanded  the  latter  grimly. 

"  Eat  it,"  said  the  youth  modestly. 

"  What  d'yer  bring  it  on  deck  for,  then  ? " 
inquired  the  other,  bending  his  brows  on  him. 

"  I  thought  it  would  taste  better  on  deck,  sir," 
said  the  boy. 

"  Taste  better !  "  growled  the  skipper  ferociously. 
"Ain't  it  good?" 

"  Yessir,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Speak  louder,"  said  the  skipper  sternly.  **  Is 
it  very  good  ?  " 

"  Beautiful,"  said  the  boy  in  a  shrill  falsetto. 

"  Did  you  ever  taste  better  wittles  than  you  get 
aboard  this  ship  ?"  demanded  the  skipper,  setting 
him  a  fine  example  in  loud  speaking. 

"  Never ! "  yelled  the  boy,  following  it. 

"  Everything  as  it  should  be  ? "  roared  the 
skipper. 

"  Better  than  it  should  be,"  shrilled  the  craven 

"  Sit  down  and  eat  it,"  commanded  the  other. 

The  boy  sat  on  the  cabin  skylight,  and,  taking 
out  his  pocket-knife,  began  his  meal  with  every 
appearance  of  enjoyment,  the  skipper,    with  his 


"CHOICE    SPIRITS"  83 

elbows  on  the  side,  and  his  legs  crossed,  regarding 
him  serenely. 

"  I  suppose,"  he  said  loudly,  after  watching  the 
boy  for  some  time,  "  I  s'pose  the  men  threw  theirs 
overboard  becos  they  hadn't  been  used  to  such 
good  food  ?  " 

"  Yessir,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Did  they  say  so  ?  "  bawled  the  other. 

The  boy  hesitated,  and  glanced  nervously  for- 
ward. "  Yessir,"  he  said  at  length,  and  shuddered 
as  a  low,  ominous  growl  came  from  the  crew. 
Despite  his  slowness  the  meal  came  to  an  end  at 
last,  and,  in  obedience  to  orders,  he  rose  and  took 
his  plate  forward,  looking  entreatingly  at  the  crew 
as  he  passed  them. 

"  Come  down  below,"  said  Bill,  "  we  want  to 
have  a  talk  with  you." 

"  Can't,"  said  the  boy.  "  I've  got  my  work  to 
do.     I  haven't  got  time  to  talk." 

He  stayed  up  on  deck  until  evening,  and  then, 
the  men's  anger  having  evaporated  somewhat,  crept 
softly  below,  and  climbed  into  his  bunk.  Simpson 
leaned  over  and  made  a  clutch  at  him,  but  Bill 
pushed  him  aside. 

"  Leave  him  alone,"  said  he  quietly,  "  we'll  take 
it  out  of  him  to-morrow." 

For  some  time  Tommy  lay  worrying  over  the 
fate  in  store  for  him,  and  then,  yielding  to  fatigue, 
turned  over  and  slept  soundly  until  he  was 
awakened  some  three  hours  later  by  the  men's 


84  MORE   CARGOES 

voices,  and,  looking  out,  saw  that  the  lamp  was 
alight  and  the  crew  at  supper,  listening  quietly  to 
Bill,  who  was  speaking. 

"  I've  a  good  mind  to  strike,  that's  what  I've  a 
good  mind  to  do,"  he  said  savagely,  as,  after  an 
attempt  at  the  butter,  he  put  it  aside  and  ate  dry 
biscuit. 

"  An'  get  six  months,"  said  old  Ned.  "  That 
won't  do.  Bill," 

"  Are  we  to  go  a  matter  of  six  or  seven  days  on 
dry  biscuit  and  rotten  taters  ? "  demanded  the 
other  fiercely.     "  Why,  it's  slow  sooicide." 

"  I  wish  one  of  you  would  commit  sooicide," 
said  Ned,  looking  wistfully  round  at  the  faces, 
"that  'ud  frighten  the  old  man,  and  bring  him 
round  a  bit." 

"  Well,  you're  the  eldest,"  said  Bill  pointedly. 

"  Browning's  a  easy  death  too,"  said  Simpson 
persuasively,  "you  can't  have  much  enjoyment  in 
life  at  your  age,  Ned  ?  " 

"  And  you  might  leave  a  letter  behind  to  the 
skipper,  saying  as  'ow  you  was  drove  to  it  by 
bad  food,"  said  the  cook,  who  was  getting  ex- 
cited. 

"  Talk  sense  !  "  said  the  old  man  very  shortly. 

"  Look  here,"  said  Bill  suddenly,  "  I  tell  you 
what  we  can  do  :  let  one  of  us  pretend  to  commit 
suicide,  and  write  a  letter  as  Slushey  here  ses, 
saying  as  'ow  we're  gone  overboard  sooner  than 
be  starved  to  death.     It   'ud  scare  the  old  man 


"CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  85 

proper ;  and  p'raps  he'd  let  us  start  on  the  other 
meat  without  eating  up  this  rotten  stuff  first!" 

"  How's  it  to  be  done  !  "  asked  Simpson,  staring. 

"Go  an  'ide  down  the  fore  'old,"  said  Bill. 
"  There's  not  much  stuff  down  there.  We'll  take 
off  the  hatch  when  one  of  us  is  on  watch  to-night, 
and — whoever  wants  to — can  go  and  hide  down 
there  till  the  old  man's  come  to  his  senses.  What 
do  you  think  of  it,  mates?" 

"  It's  all  right  as  an  idea,"  said  Ned  slowly,  "  but 
who's  going?  " 

"  Tommy,"  replied  Bill  simply. 

"  Blest  if  I  ever  thought  of  him,"  said  Ned  ad- 
miringly, "  did  you,  cookie  ?" 

"  Never  crossed  my  mind,"  said  the  cook. 

"  You  see  the  best  o'  Tommy's  going,"  said  Bill, 
"  is  that  the  old  man  'ud  only  give  him  a  flogging 
if  he  found  it  out.  We  wouldn't  split  as  to  who 
put  the  hatch  on  over  him.  He  can  be  there  as 
comfortable  as  you  please,  do  nothing,  and  sleep 
all  day  if  he  likes.  O'  course  we  don't  know  any- 
thing about  it,  we  miss  Tommy,  and  find  the  letter 
wrote  on  this  table." 

The  cook  leaned  forward  and  regarded  his  col- 
league favourably ;  then  he  pursed  his  lips,  and 
nodded  significantly  at  an  upper  bunk  from  which 
the  face  of  Tommy,  pale  and  scared,  looked 
anxiously  down. 

"  Halloa !  "  said  Bill,  "  have  you  heard  what 
we've  been  saying?" 


86  MORE   CARGOES 

"  I  heard  you  say  something  about  going  to 
drown  old  Ned,"  said  Tommy  guardedly. 

"  He's  heard  all  about  it,"  said  the  cook  severely. 
"  Do  you  know  where  little  boys  who  tell  lies  go 
to,  Tommy  ?" 

'*  I'd  sooner  go  there  than  down  the  fore  'old," 
said  Tommy,  beginning  to  knuckle  his  eyes.  "  I 
won't  go.     I'll  tell  the  skipper." 

"  No,  you  won't,"  said  Bill  sternly.  "  This  is 
your  punishment  for  them  lies  you  told  about  us 
to-day,  an'  very  cheap  you've  got  off  too.  Now,  get 
out  o'  that  bunk.     Come  on  afore  I  pull  you  out." 

With  a  miserable  whimper  the  youth  dived 
beneath  his  blankets,  and,  clinging  frantically  to 
the  edge  of  his  berth,  kicked  convulsively  as  he 
was  lifted  down,  blankets  and  all,  and  accom- 
modated with  a  seat  at  the  table. 

"  Pen  and  ink  and  paper,  Ned,"  said  Bill. 

The  old  man  produced  them,  and  Bill,  first 
wiping  off  with  his  coat-sleeve  a  piece  of  butter 
which  the  paper  had  obtained  from  the  table, 
spread  it  before  the  victim. 

"  I  can't  write,"  said  Tommy  sullenly. 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  in  dismay. 

"  It's  a  lie,"  said  the  cook. 

"  I  tell  you  I  can't,"  said  the  urchin,  becoming 
hopeful,  "  that's  why  they  sent  me  to  sea  becos 
I  couldn't  read  or  write." 

"  Pull  his  ear.  Bill,"  said  Ned,  annoyed  at  these 
aspersions  upon  an  honourable  profession. 


"  CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  87 

"  It  don't  matter,"  said  Bill,  calmly.  "  I'll 
write  it  for  'im  ;  the  old  man  don't  know  my  fist." 

He  sat  down  at  the  table,  and,  squaring  his 
shoulders,  took  a  noisy  dip  of  ink,  and  scratching 
his  head,  looked  pensively  at  the  paper. 

"Better  spell  it  bad.  Bill,"  suggested  Ned. 

"Ay,  ay,"  said  the  other.  "  'Ow  do  you  think 
a  boy  would  spell  sooicide,  Ned  ?  " 

The  old  man  pondered.  "  S-o-o-e-y-s-i-d-e,"  he 
said  slowly. 

"  Why,  that's  the  right  way,  ain't  it  ?  "  inquired 
the  cook,  looking  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  We  mustn't  spell  it  right,"  said  Bill,  with  his 
pen  hovering  over  the  paper.  "  Be  careful, 
Ned." 

"  We'll  say  killed  myself  instead,"  said  the  old 
man.  "  A  boy  wouldn't  use  such  a  big  word  as 
that  p'raps." 

Bill  bent  over  his  work,  and,  apparently  paying 
great  attention  to  his  friends'  entreaties  not  to 
write  it  too  well,  slowly  wrote  the  letter. 

"  How's  this?"  he  inquired,  sitting  back  in  his 
seat. 

"  '  Deer  captin  i  take  my  pen  in  hand  for  the 
larst  time  to  innform  you  that  i  am  no  more  suner 
than  heat  the  'orrible  stuff  what  you  kail  meet  i 
have  drownded  miself  it  is  a  moor  easy  death  than 
starvin'  i  'ave  left  my  clasp  nife  to  bill  an'  my 
silver  wotch  to  it  is  'ard  too  dee  so  young  tommie 
brown.'  " 


88  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Splendid  ! "  said  Ned,  as  the  reader  finished 
and  looked  inquiringly  round. 

"  I  put  in  that  bit  about  the  knife  and  the 
watch  to  make  it  seem  real,"  said  Bill,  with 
modest  pride ;  "  but,  if  you  like,  I'll  leave  'em  to 
you  instead,  Ned." 

"  I  don't  want 'em,"  said  the  old  man  generously. 

"  Put  your  does  on,"  said  Bill,  turning  to  the 
whimpering  Tommy. 

"  I'm  not  going  down  that  fore  'old,"  said 
Tommy  desperately.  "  You  may  as  well  know 
now  as  later  on — I  won't  go." 

"  Cookie,"  said  Bill  calmly,  "  just  'and  me  them 
does,  will  you  ?     Now,  Tommy." 

"  I  tell  you,  I'm  not  going  to,"  said  Tommy. 

"An'  that  little  bit  o'  rope,  cookie,"  said  Bill, 
"  it's  just  down  by  your  'and.     Now,  Tommy." 

The  youngest  member  of  the  crew  looked  from 
his  clothes  to  the  rope,  and  from  the  rope  back  to 
his  clothes  again. 

"How'm  I  goin'  to  be  fed.'*"  he  demanded 
sullenly,  as  he  began  to  dress. 

"  You'll  have  a  stone  bottle  o'  water  to  take 
down  with  you  an'  some  biskits,"  replied  Bill, 
"  an'  of  a  night  time  we'll  hand  you  down  some 
o'  that  meat  you're  so  fond  of.  Hide  'em  behind 
the  cargo,  an'  if  you  hear  anybody  take  the  hatch 
off  in  the  day  time,  nip  behind  it  yourself." 

"  An'  what  about  fresh  air  ?  "  demanded  the 
sacrifice. 


"CHOICE   spirits"  89 

"  You'll  'ave  fresh  air  of  a  night  when  the  hatch 
is  took  off,"  said  Bill.  "  Don't  you  worry,  I've 
thought  of  everything." 

The  arrangements  being  concluded,  they  waited 
until  Simpson  relieved  the  mate  at  the  helm,  and 
then  trooped  up  on  deck,  half-pushing  and  half- 
leading  their  reluctant  victim, 

"  It's  just  as  if  he  was  going  on  a  picnic,"  said 
old  Ned,  as  the  boy  stood  unwillingly  on  the  deck, 
with  a  stone  bottle  in  one  hand  and  some  biscuits 
wrapped  up  in  an  old  newspaper  in  the  other. 

"  Lend  a  'and,  Bill,     Easy  does  it." 

Noiselessly  the  two  seamen  took  off  the  hatch, 
and,  as  Tommy  declined  to  help  in  the  pro- 
ceedings at  all,  Ned  clambered  down  first  to 
receive  him.  Bill  took  him  by  the  scruff  of  the 
neck  and  lowered  him  down,  kicking  strongly, 
into  the  hold. 

"  Have  you  got  him  ?"  inquired  Bill. 

"  Yes,"  said  Ned  in  a  smothered  voice,  and, 
depositing  the  boy  in  the  hold,  hastily  clambered 
up  again,  wiping  his  mouth. 

"  Been  having  a  swig  at  the  bottle  ?  "  inquired 
Bill, 

"Boy's  heel,"  said  Ned  very  shortly.  "  Get  the 
hatch  on." 

The  hatch  was  replaced,  and  Bill  and  his  fellow 
conspirator,  treading  quietly  and  not  without  some 
apprehension  for  the  morrow,  went  below  and 
turned    in.     Tommy,  who  had  been  at  sea  long 


90  MORE   CARGOES 

enough  to  take  things  as  he  found  them,  curled  up 
in  the  corner  of  the  hold,  and  with  his  bottle  as 
a  pillow  fell  asleep. 

It  was  not  until  eight  o'clock  next  morning 
that  the  master  of  the  Sunbeam  discovered  that 
he  was  a  boy  short.  He  questioned  the  cook  as 
he  sat  at  breakfast.  The  cook,  who  was  a  very- 
nervous  man,  turned  pale,  set  the  coffee-pot  down 
with  a  thump  which  upset  some  of  the  liquor,  and 
bolted  up  on  deck.  The  skipper,  after  shouting 
for  him  in  some  of  the  most  alluring  swear  words 
known  on  the  high  seas,  went  raging  up  on  deck, 
where  he  found  the  men  standing  in  a  little  knot, 
looking  very  ill  at  ease. 

"  Bill,  "  said  the  skipper  uneasily,  "  what's  the 
matter  with  that  damned  cook  ?  " 

"  'E's  'ad  a  shock,  sir,  "  said  Bill,  shaking  his 
head,  "  we've  all  'ad  a  shock." 

"  You'll  have  another  in  a  minute,  "  said  the 
skipper  emotionally.     "Where's  the  boy?" 

For  a  moment  Bill's  hardihood  forsook  him,  and 
he  looked  helplessly  at  his  mates.  In  their  anxiety 
to  avoid  his  gaze  they  looked  over  the  side,  and  a 
horrible  fear  came  over  the  skipper.  He  looked 
at  Bill  mutely,  and  Bill  held  out  a  dirty  piece  of 
paper. 

The  skipper  read  it  through  in  a  state  of  stupe- 
faction, then  he  handed  it  to  the  mate,  who  had 
followed  him  on  deck.  The  mate  read  it  and 
handed  it  back. 


"CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  91 

"  It's  yours,"  he  said  shortly. 

"  I  don't  understand  it,"  said  the  skipper,  shaking 
his  head.  "  Why,  only  yesterday  he  was  up  on 
deck  here  eating  his  dinner,  and  saying  it  was  the 
best  meat  he  ever  tasted.     You  heard  him.  Bob?  " 

"  I  heard  him,  pore  little  devil !  "  said  the  mate. 

"  You  all  heard  him,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  Well,  there's  five  witnesses  I've  got.  He 
must  have  been  mad.  Didn't  nobody  hear  him 
go  overboard  ?  " 

"  I  'eard  a  splash,  sir,  in  my  watch,  "  said  Bill. 

"  Why  didn't  you  run  and  see  what  it  was  ?  " 
demanded  the  other. 

"I  thought  it  was  one  of  the  chaps  come  up  to 
throw  his  supper  overboard,"  said  Bill  simply. 

"  Ah  !  "  said  the  skipper,  biting  his  lip,  "  did 
you  ?  You're  always  going  on  about  the  grub. 
What's  the  matter  with  it  ?  " 

"  It's  pizon,  sir,  "  said  Ned,  shaking  his  head. 
"  The  meat's  awful.  " 

"  It's  as  sweet  as  nuts, "  said  the  skipper. 
"  Well,  you  can  have  it  out  of  the  other  tank  if 
you  like.     Will  that  satisfy  you  ?  " 

The  men  brightened  up  a  little  and  nudged 
each  other. 

"  The  butter's  bad  too,  sir,"  said  Bill. 

"  Butter  bad  !"  said  the  skipper  frowning,  "how's 
that,  cook  ?  " 

"  I  ain't  done  nothing  to  it,  sir, "  said  the  cook 
helplessly. 


92  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Give  'em  butter  out  o'  the  firkin  in  the  cabin," 
growled  the  skipper.  "  It's  my  firm  behef  you'd 
been  ill-using  that  boy,  the  food  was  delicious." 

He  walked  off,  taking  the  letter  with  him,  and, 
propping  it  up  against  the  sugar-basin,  made  but 
a  poor  breakfast. 

For  that  day  the  men  lived,  as  Ned  put  it,  on 
the  fat  of  the  land,  in  addition  to  the  other  luxuries 
figgy  duff,  a  luxury  hitherto  reserved  for  Sundays, 
being  also  served  out  to  them.  Bill  was  regarded 
as  a  big-brained  benefactor  of  the  human  race;  joy 
reigned  in  the  foc'sle,  and  at  night  the  hatch  was 
taken  off  and  the  prisoner  regaled  with  a  portion 
which  had  been  saved  for  him.  He  ate  it  ungrate- 
fully, and  put  churlish  and  inconvenient  questions 
as  to  what  was  to  happen  at  the  end  of  the  voyage. 

"  We'll  smuggle  you  ashore  all  right,  "  said 
Bill,  "  none  of  us  are  going  to  sign  back  in  this 
old  tub.  I'll  take  you  aboard  some  ship  with 
me — Eh  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  say  anything,"  said  Tommy  un- 
truthfully. 

To  the  wrath  and  confusion  of  the  crew  next 
day  their  commanding  officer  put  them  back  on 
the  old  diet  again.  The  old  meat  was  again  served 
out,  and  the  grass-fed  luxury  from  the  cabin 
stopped.  Bill  shared  the  fate  of  all  leaders  when 
things  go  wrong,  and,  from  being  the  idol  of  his 
fellows,  became  a  butt  for  their  gibes. 

"What  about  your  little  idea  now? "grunted 


"CHOICE  spirits"  93 

old  Ned,  scornfully,  that  evening  as  he  broke  his 
biscuit  roughly  with  his  teeth,  and  dropped  it  into 
his  basin  of  tea. 

"  You  ain't  as  clever  as  you  thought  you  was, 
Bill,"  said  the  cook  with  the  air  of  a  discoverer. 

"  And  there's  that  pore  dear  boy  shut  up  in 
the  dark  for  nothing,"  said  Simpson,  with  some- 
what belated  thoughtfulness.  "  An'  cookie  doing 
his  work." 

"I'm  not  going  to  be  beat,"  said  Bill  blackly, 
"  the  old  man  was  badly  scared  yesterday.  We 
must  have  another  sooicide,  that's  all." 

"  Let  Tommy  do  it  again,"  suggested  the  cook 
flippantly,  and  they  all  laughed. 

"  Two  on  one  trip'll  about  do  the  old  man 
up, "  said  Bill,  regarding  the  interruption  un- 
favourably.   "  Now,  who's  going  to  be  the  next  ?  " 

"  We've  had  enough  o'  this  game,"  said  Simpson, 
shrugging  his  shoulders,  "you've  gone  cranky, 
Bill." 

"  No,  I  ain't,"  said  Bill ;  "  I'm  not  going  to  be 
beat,  that's  all.  Whoever  goes  down  they  '11  have 
a  nice,  easy,  lazy  time.  Sleep  all  day  if  he  likes, 
and  nothing  to  do.  Vou  ain't  been  looking  very 
well  lately,  Ned." 

"  Oh  ?  "  said  the  old  man  coldly. 

"  Well,  settle  it  between  you,"  said  Bill  care- 
lessly, "  it's  all  one  to  me,  which  of  you  goes." 

"  Ho,  an'  what  about  you  ?  "  demanded  Simp- 
son. 


94  MORE   CARGOES 

"Me?"  inquired  Bill  in  astonishment.  "Why, 
I've  got  to  stay  up  here  and  manage  it." 

"Well,  we'll  stay  up  and  help  you,"  said  Simp- 
son derisively. 

Ned  and  the  cook  laughed,,  Simpson  joined  in. 
Bill  rose,  and  going  to  his  bunk,  fished  out  a  pack 
of  greasy  cards  from  beneath  his  bedding. 

"  Larst  cut,  sooicide,"  he  said  briefly.  "  I'm 
in  it." 

He  held  the  pack  before  the  cook.  The  cook 
hesitated,  and  looked  at  the  other  two. 

*'  Don't  be  a  fool.  Bill,"  said  Simpson. 

"  Why,  do  you  funk  it  ?  "  sneered  Bill. 

"  It's  a  fool's  game,  I  tell  you,"  said  Simpson. 

"  Well,  you  'elped  me  start  it,"  said  the  other. 
"  You're  afraid,  that's  what  you  are,  afraid.  You 
can  let  the  boy  go  down  there,  but  when  it  comes 
to  yourselves  you  turn  chicken-'arted." 

*'  All  right,"  said  Simpson  recklessly,  "  let  Bill 
'ave  'is  way  ;  cut,  cookie." 

Sorely  against  his  better  sense  the  cook 
complied,  and  drew  a  ten  ;  Ned,  after  much 
argument,  cut  and  drew  seven  ;  Simpson,  with  a 
king  in  his  fist,  leaned  back  on  the  locker  and 
fingered  his  beard  nonchalantly.  "  Go  on.  Bill," 
he  said,  "  see  what  you  can  do," 

Bill  took  the  pack  and  shuffled  it.  "  I  orter 
be  able  to  beat  seven,"  he  said  slowly.  He 
handed  the  pack  to  Ned,  drew  a  card,  and  the 
other  three  sat  back  and  laughed  boisterously. 


"  CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  95 

"Three!"  said  Simpson.  ''Bravo,  Bill!  I'll 
write  your  letter  for  you  ;  he'd  know  your 
writing.     What  shall  I  say?" 

"  Say  what  you  like,"  retorted  Bill,  breathing 
hard  as  he  thought  of  the  hold. 

He  sat  back,  sneering  disdainfully,  as  the  other 
three  merrily  sat  down  to  compose  his  letter, 
replying  only  by  a  contemptuous  silence  when 
Simpson  asked  him  whether  he  wanted  any 
kisses  put  in.  When  the  letter  was  handed  over 
for  his  inspection  he  only  made  one  remark. 

"  I  thought  you  could  write  better  than  that, 
George,"  he  said  haughtily. 

"  I'm  writing  it  for  you,"  said  Simpson. 

Bill's  hauteur  vanished,  and  he  became  his  old 
self  again.  "  If  you  want  a  plug  in  the  eye, 
George,"  he  said  feelingly,  "  you've  only  got  to 
say  so,  you  know." 

His  temper  was  so  unpleasant  that  half  the 
pleasure  of  the  evening  was  spoiled,  and  instead 
of  being  conducted  to  his  hiding-place  with  quips 
and  light  laughter,  the  proceedings  were  more 
like  a  funeral  than  anything  else.  The  crowning 
touch  to  his  ill-nature  was  furnished  by  Tommy, 
who  upon  coming  up  and  learning  that  Bill  was 
to  be  his  room-mate,  gave  way  to  a  fit  of  the 
most  unfeigned  horror. 

"  There's  another  letter  for  you  this  morning," 
said  the  mate,  as  the  skipper  came  out  of  his 
state-room  buttoning  up  his  waistcoat. 


96  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Another  what  ?  "  demanded  the  other,  turning 
pale. 

The  mate  jerked  his  thumb  upwards.  "  Old 
Ned  has  got  it,"  he  continued,  "  I  can't  think 
what's  come  over  the  men." 

The  skipper  dashed  up  on  deck,  and  mechanic- 
ally took  the  letter  from  Ned  and  read  it 
through.  He  stood  for  some  time  like  a  man 
in  a  dream,  and  then  stumbled  down  the  foc'sle, 
and  looked  in  all  the  bunks  and  even  under 
the  table,  then  he  came  up  and  stood  by  the 
hold  with  his  head  on  one  side.  The  men  held 
their  breath. 

"  What's  the  meaning  of  all  this  ?  "  he  demanded 
at  length,  sitting  limply  on  the  hatch,  with  his 
eyes  down. 

"  Bad  grub,  sir,"  said  Simpson,  gaining  courage 
from  his  manner ;  "  that's  what  we'll  have  to 
say  when  we  get  ashore." 

"You're  not  to  say  a  word  about  it?"  said 
the  other,  firing  up. 

"  It's  our  dooty,  sir,"  said  Ned  impressively. 

"  Look  here  now,"  said  the  skipper,  and  he 
looked  at  the  remaining  members  of  the  crew 
entreatingly.  "  Don't  let's  have  no  more  suicides. 
The  old  meat's  gone  now,  and  you  can  start  the 
other,  and  when  we  get  to  port  I'll  ship  in  some 
fresh  butter  and  vegetables.  But  I  don't  want 
you  to  say  anything  about  the  food  being  bad, 
or  about  these  letters  when  we  get  to  port.     I 


"  CHOICE   SPIRITS  "  97 

shall  simply  say  the  two  of  'em  disappeared,  an' 
I  want  you  to  say  the  same." 

"  It  can't  be  done,  sir,"  said  Simpson,  firmly. 

The  skipper  rose  and  walked  to  the  side. 
"  Would  a  fi'pun  note  make  any  difference?"  he 
asked  in  a  low  voice. 

"  It  'ud  make  a  little  difference,"  said  Ned 
cautiously. 

The  skipper  looked  up  at  Simpson.  On  the 
face  of  Simpson  was  an  expression  of  virtuous 
arithmetical  determination. 

The  skipper  looked  down  again.  "  Or  a  fi'pun 
note  each  ?  "  he  said,  in  a  low  voice.  "  I  can't  go 
beyond  that." 

"  Call  it  twenty  pun  and  it's  a  bargain,  ain't  it, 
mates?  "  said  Simpson. 

Ned  said  it  was,  and  even  the  cook  forgot  his 
nervousness,  and  said  it  was  evident  the  skipper 
must  do  the  generous  thing,  and  they'd  stand  by 
him. 

"  Where's  the  money  coming  from  ?  "  inquired 
the  mate  as  the  skipper  went  down  to  breakfast, 
and  discussed  the  matter  with  him.  "  They 
wouldn't  get  nothing  out  of  me  !  " 

The  skylight  was  open  ;  the  skipper  with  a 
glance  at  it  bent  forward  and  whispered  in  his 
ear. 

''  Wot !  "  said  the  mate.  He  endeavoured  to 
suppress  his  laughter  with  hot  coffee  and  bacon, 
with  the  result  that  he  had  to  rise  from  his  seat, 
7 


98  MORE   CARGOES 

and  stand  patiently  while  the  skipper  dealt  him 
some  hearty  thumps  on  the  back. 

With  the  prospect  of  riches  before  them 
the  men  cheerfully  faced  the  extra  work ;  the 
cook  did  the  boy's,  while  Ned  and  Simpson  did 
Bill's  between  them.  When  night  came  they  re- 
moved the  hatch  again,  and  with  a  little  curiosity 
waited  to  hear  how  their  victims  were  progress- 
ing. 

"  Where's  my  dinner  ?  "  growled  Bill  hungrily, 
as  he  drew  himself  up  on  deck. 

"Dinner!"  said  Ned,  in  surprise;  "why,  you 
ain't  got  none," 

"  Wo^  ?  "  said  Bill  ferociously. 

"  You  see  the  skipper  only  serves  out  for  three 
now,"  said  the  cook. 

"  Well,  why  didn't  you  save  us  some  ? "  de- 
manded the  other. 

"  There  ain't  enough  of  it,  Bill,  there  ain't  in- 
deed," said  Ned.  "  We  have  to  do  more  work 
now,  and  there  ain't  enough  even  for  us.  You've 
got  biscuit  and  water,  haven't  you  ?  " 

Bill  swore  at  him. 

"  I  've  'ad  enough  o'  this,"  he  said  fiercely.  "I'm 
coming  up,  let  the  old  man  do  what  he  likes.  I 
don't  care." 

"  Don't  do  that,  Bill,"  said  the  old  man  per- 
suasively. "  Everything's  going  beautiful.  You 
was  quite  right  what  you  said  about  the  old  man. 
We  was  wrong.     He's    skeered  fearful,  and  he's 


"CHOICE    spirits"  99 

going  to  give  us  twenty  pun  to  say  nothing  about 
it  when  we  get  ashore." 

"  I'm  going  to  have  ten  out  o'  that,"  said  Bill, 
brightening  a  little,  "  and  it's  worth  it  too.  I  get 
the  'orrors  shut  up  down  there  all  day." 

"Ay,  ay,"  said  Ned,  with  a  side  kick  at  the 
cook,  who  was  about  to  question  Bill's  method  of 
division. 

"  The  old  man  sucked  it  all  in  beautiful,"  said 
the  cook.  "  He's  in  a  dreadful  way.  He's  got  all 
your  clothes  and  things,  and  the  boy's,  and  he's 
going  to  'and  'em  over  to  your  friends.  It's  the 
best  joke  I  ever  heard." 

"  You're  a  fool !  "  said  Bill  shortly,  and  lighting 
his  pipe  went  and  squatted  in  the  bows  to  wrestle 
grimly  with  a  naturally  bad  temper. 

For  the  ensuing  four  days  things  went  on 
smoothly  enough.  The  weather  being  fair,  the 
watch  at  night  was  kept  by  the  men,  and  regularly 
they  had  to  go  through  the  unpleasant  Jack-in-the- 
box  experience  of  taking  the  lid  off  Bill.  The 
sudden  way  he  used  to  pop  out  and  rate  them 
about  his  sufferings  and  their  callousness  was  ex- 
tremely trying,  and  it  was  only  by  much  persua- 
sion and  reminder  of  his  share  of  the  hush-money 
that  they  could  persuade  him  to  return  again  to 
his  lair  at  daybreak. 

Still  undisturbed  they  rounded  the  Land's  End. 
The  day  had  been  close  and  muggy,  but  towards 
night  the  wind  freshened,  and  the  schooner  began 


lOO  MORE   CARGOES 

to  slip  at  a  good  pace  through  the  water.  The 
two  prisoners,  glad  to  escape  from  the  stifling 
atmosphere  of  the  hold,  sat  in  the  bows  with  an 
appetite  which  the  air  made  only  too  keen  for  the 
preparations  made  to  satisfy  it. 

Ned  was  steering,  and  the  other  two  men 
having  gone  below  and  turned  in,  there  were 
no  listeners  to  their  low  complaints  about  the 
food. 

"  It's  a  fool's  game.  Tommy,"  said  Bill,  shaking 
his  head. 

"  Game  ?  "  said  Tommy,  sniffing.  "  'Ow  are  we 
going  to  get  away  when  we  get  to  Northsea?" 

"You  leave  that  to  me,"  said  Bill.  "  Old  Ned 
seems  to  ha'  got  a  bad  cough,"  he  added. 

"  He's  choking,  I  should  think,"  said  Tommy, 
leaning  forward.  "  Look  !  he's  waving  his  hand 
at  us. 

Both  sprang  up  hastily,  but  ere  they  could  make 
any  attempt  to  escape  the  skipper  and  mate 
emerged  from  the  companion  and  walked  towards 
them. 

"  Look  here,"  said  the  skipper,  turning  to  the 
mate,  and  indicating  the  culprits  with  his  hand  ; 
"  perhaps  you'll  disbelieve  in  dreams  now." 

"  'Strordinary  !  "  said  the  mate,  rubbing  his  eyes, 
as  Bill  stood  sullenly  waiting  events,  while  the 
miserable  Tommy  skulked  behind  him. 

"  I've  heard  o  such  things,"  continued  the 
skipper,  in  impressive  tones,   "  but    I    never  ex- 


"CHOICE   SPIRITS"  lOI 

pected  to  see  it.  You  can't  say  you  haven't  seen 
a  ghost  now,  Bob." 

"  'Strordinary  !  "  said  the  mate,  shaking  his  head 
again.     "  Lifelike  !  " 

"  The  ship's  haunted,  Ned,"  cried  the  skipper  in 
hollow  tones.  "  Here's  the  sperrits  o'  Bill  and  the 
boy  standing  agin  the  windlass." 

The  bewildered  old  seaman  made  no  reply ;  the 
smaller  spirit  sniffed  and  wiped  his  nose  on  his 
cuff,  and  the  larger  one  began  to  whistle  softly. 

"  Poor  things  !  "  said  the  skipper,  after  they 
had  discussed  these  extraordinary  apparitions  for 
some  time.  "  Can  you  see  the  windlass  through 
the  boy.  Bob  ?  " 

"  I  can  see  through  both  of  'em,"  said  the  mate 
slyly. 

They  stayed  on  deck  a  little  longer,  and  then 
coming  to  the  conclusion  that  their  presence  on 
deck  could  do  no  good,  and  indeed  seemed  only 
to  embarrass  their  visitors,  went  below  again, 
leaving  all  hands  a  prey  to  the  wildest  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Wot's  'is  little  game  ?  "  asked  Simpson,  com- 
ing cautiously  up  on  deck. 

"  Damned  if  I  know,"  said  Bill  savagely. 

"  He  don't  really  think  you're  ghosts  ?  "  sug- 
gested the  cook  feebly. 

"  O'  course  not,"  said  Bill  scornfully.  "  He's 
got  some  little  game  on.  Well,  I'm  going  to  my 
bunk.     You'd  better  come  too.  Tommy.     We'll 


I02  MORE  CARGOES 

find  out  what  it  all  means  to-morrer,  I've  no 
doubt." 

On  the  morrow  they  received  a  little  enlighten- 
ment, for  after  breakfast  the  cook  came  forward 
nervously  to  break  the  news  that  meat  and  vege- 
tables had  only  been  served  out  for  three.  Con- 
sternation fell  upon  all. 

"  I'll  go  an'  see  'im,"  said  Bill  ravenously. 

He  found  the  skipper  laughing  heartily  over 
something  with  the  mate.  At  the  seaman's  ap- 
proach he  stepped  back  and  eyed  him  coolly. 

"  Mornin',  sir,"  said  Bill,  shufifling  up.  "  We'd 
like  to  know,  sir,  me  an'  Tommy,  whether  we  can 
have  our  rations  for  dinner  served  out  now  same 
as  before  ?  " 

"  Dijincr  ?  "  said  the  skipper  in  surprise.  "  What 
do  you  want  dinner  for  ?  " 

"  Eat,"  said  Bill,  eyeing  him  reproachfully. 

"  Eat  ?  "  said  the  skipper.  "  What's  the  good 
o'  giving  dinner  to  a  ghost  ?  Why  you've  got 
nowhere  to  put  it." 

By  dint  of  great  self-control  Bill  smiled  in  a 
ghastly  fashion,  and  patted  his  stomach. 

"  All  air,"  said  the  skipper  turning  away. 

"  Can  we  have  our  clothes  and  things  then  ?  " 
said  Bill  grinding  his  teeth.  "  Ned  says  as  how 
you've  got  'em." 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  the  skipper.  "  I  take  'em 
home  and  give  'em  to  your  next  o*  kin.  That's 
the  lav/,  ain't  it,  Bob  ?  " 


"  CHOICE   SPIRITS  103 

"  It  is,"  said  the  mate. 

"  They'll  'ave  your  effects  and  your  pay  up  to 
the  night  you  committed  suicide,"  said  the  skip- 
per. 

"  We  didn't  commit  sooicide,"  said  Bill ;  "  how 
could  we  when  we're  standing  here  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  did,"  said  the  other.  "  I've  got 
your  letters  in  my  pocket  to  prove  it ;  besides,  if 
you  didn't  I  should  give  you  in  charge  for  deser- 
tion directly  we  get  to  port." 

He  exchanged  glances  with  the  mate,  and  Bill, 
after  standing  first  on  one  leg  and  then  on  the 
other,  walked  slowly  away.  For  the  rest  of  the 
morning  he  stayed  below  setting  the  smaller  ghost 
a  bad  example  in  the  way  of  language,  and  threat- 
enino-  his  fellows  with  all  sorts  of  fearful  punish- 
ments. 

Until  dinner  time  the  skipper  heard  no  more  of 
them,  but  he  had  just  finished  that  meal  and  lit 
his  pipe  when  he  heard  footsteps  on  the  deck,  and 
the  next  moment  old  Ned,  hot  and  angry,  burst 
into  the  cabin. 

"  Bill's  stole  our  dinner,  sir,"  he  panted  uncere- 
moniously. 

"  Who  ?  "  inquired  the  skipper  coldly. 

"  Bill,  sir.  Bill  Smith,"  replied  Ned. 

"  Who  ?  "  inquired  the  skipper  more  coldly  than 
before. 

"  The  ghost  o'  Bill  Smith,"  growled  Ned,  cor- 
recting himself  savagely,  "  has  took  our  dinner 


I04  MORE  CARGOES  ' 

away,  an'  him  an'  the  ghost  o'  Tommy  Brown  is 
a  sitting  down  and  boltin'  of  it  as  fast  as  they  can 
bolt." 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  what  I  can  do,"  said  the 
skipper  lazily.     "  What'd  you  let  'em  for  ?  " 

"  You  know  what  Bill  is,  sir,"  said  Ned.  "  I'm 
an  old  man,  cook's  no  good,  and  unless  Simpson 
has  a  bit  o'  raw  beef  for  his  eyes,  he  won't  be  able 
to  see  for  a  week." 

"  Rubbish  !  "  said  the  skipper  jocularly.  "  Don't 
tell  me,  three  men  all  afraid  o'  one  ghost.  I  sha'n't 
interfere.     Don't  you  know  what  to  do  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Ned  eagerly. 

"  Go  up  and  read  the  prayer-book  to  him,  and 
he'll  vanish  in  a  cloud  of  smoke,"  said  the  skipper. 

Ned  gazed  at  him  for  a  moment  speechlessly, 
and  then  going  up  on  deck  leaned  over  the  side 
and  swore  himself  faint.  The  cook  and  Simpson 
came  up  and  listened  respectfully,  contenting 
themselves  with  an  occasional  suggestion  when 
the  old  man's  memory  momentarily  failed  him. 

For  the  rest  of  the  voyage  the  two  culprits 
suffered  all  the  inconvenience  peculiar  to  a  loss  of 
citizenship.  The  skipper  blandly  ignored  them, 
and  on  two  or  three  occasions  gave  great  offence 
by  attempting  to  walk  through  Bill  as  he  stood 
on  the  deck.  Speculation  was  rife  in  the  fo'c'sle 
as  to  what  would  happen  when  they  got  ashore, 
and  it  was  not  until  Northsea  was  sighted  that 
the  skipper  showed  his  hand.     Then  he  appeared 


"CHOICE   SPIRITS  105 

on  deck  with  their  effects  done  up  neatly  in  two 
bundles,  and  pitched  them  on  the  hatches.  The 
crew  stood  and  eyed  him  expectantly. 

"  Ned,"  said  the  skipper  sharply. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  old  man. 

"  As  soon  as  we're  made  fast,"  said  the  other, 
"  I  want  you  to  go  ashore  for  me  and  fetch  an 
undertaker  and  a  policeman.  I  can't  quite  make 
up  my  mind  which  I  want." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  murmured  the  old  man. 

The  skipper  turned  away,  and  seizing  the  helm 
from  the  mate,  took  the  ship  in.  He  was  so  in- 
tent upon  his  business  that  he  appeared  not  to 
notice  the  movements  of  Bill  and  Tommy  as  they 
edged  nervously  towards  their  bundles,  and  waited 
impatiently  for  the  schooner  to  get  alongside  the 
quay.  Then  he  turned  to  the  mate  and  burst 
into  a  loud  laugh  as  the  couple,  bending  sud- 
denly, snatched  up  their  bundles,  and,  clambering 
up  the  side,  sprang  ashore  and  took  to  their  heels. 
The  mate  laughed,  too,  and  a  faint  but  mirthless 
echo  came  from  the  other  end  of  the  schooner. 


A  DISCIPLINARIAN 

"There's  no  doubt  about  it,"  said  the  night 
watchman,  "  but  what  dissiphne's  a  very  good 
thing,  but  it  don't  always  act  well.  For  in- 
stance, I  ain't  allowed  to  smoke  on  this  wharf,  so 
when  I  want  a  pipe  I  either  'ave  to  go  over  to  the 
'  Queen's  'ed,'  or  sit  in  a  lighter.  If  I'm  in  the 
'  Queen's  'ed,'  I  can  look  arter  the  wharf,  an'  once 
when  I  was  sitting  in  a  lighter  smoking,  the  chap 
come  aboard  an'  cast  off  afore  I  knew  what  he 
was  doing,  and  took  me  all  the  way  to  Green- 
wich. He  said  he'd  often  played  that  trick  on 
watchmen. 

"  The  worst  man  for  dissipline  I  ever  shipped 
with  was  Cap'n  Tasker,  of  the  Lapwing.  He'd 
got  it  on  the  brain  bad.  He  was  a  prim,  clean- 
shaved  man  except  for  a  little  side  whisker,  an' 
always  used  to  try  an'  look  as  much  like  a  naval 
officer  as  possible. 

"  I  never  'ad  no  sort  of  idea  what  he  was  like 

when  I  jined  the  ship,  an'  he  was  quite  quiet  and 

peaceable  until  we  was  out  on   the  open  water. 

Then  the  cloven  hoof  showed  itself,  an'  he  kicked 

one  o'  the  men  for  coming  on  deck  with  a  dirty 

face,  an'  though  the  man  told  him  he  never  did 
1 06 


A   DISCIPLINARIAN  10/ 

wash  becos  his  skin  was  so  delikit,  he  sent  the 
bos'en  to  turn  the  hose  on  him. 

"  The  bos'en  seemed  to  take  a  hand  in  every- 
thing. We  used  to  do  everything  by  his  whistle, 
it  was  never  out  of  his  mouth  scarcely,  and  I've 
known  that  man  to  dream  of  it  o'  nights,  and  sit 
up  in  his  sleep  an'  try  an'  blow  his  thumb.  He 
whistled  us  to  swab  decks,  whistled  us  to  grub, 
whistled  us  to  every  blessed  thing. 

"  Though  we  didn't  belong  to  any  reg'ler  line, 
we'd  got  a  lot  o'  passengers  aboard,  going  to  the 
Cape,  an'  they  thought  a  deal  o'  the  skipper. 
There  was  one  young  leftenant  aboard  who  said 
he  reminded  him  o'  Nelson,  an'  him  an'  the  skip- 
per was  as  thick  as  two  thieves.  Nice  larky  young 
chap  he  was,  an'  more  than  one  o'  the  crew  tried 
to  drop  things  on  him  from  aloft  when  he  wasn't 
looking. 

"  Every  morning  at  ten  we  was  inspected  by  the 
skipper,  but  that  wasn't  enough  for  the  leftenant, 
and  he  persuaded  the  old  man  to  drill  us.  He 
said  it  would  do  us  good  an'  amuse  the  passen- 
gers, an'  we  'ad  to  do  all  sorts  o'  silly  things  with 
our  arms  an'  legs,  an'  twice  he  walked  the  skipper 
to  the  other  end  of  the  ship,  leaving  twenty-three 
sailormen  bending  over  touching  their  toes,  an' 
wondering  whether  they'd  ever  stand  straight 
again. 

"  The  very  worst  thing  o'  the  lot  was  the  boat- 
drill.     A  chap  might  be  sitting  comfortably  at  his 


I08  MORE   CARGOES 

grub,  or  having  a  pipe  in  his  bunk,  when  the 
bos'en's  whistle  would  scream  out  to  him  that  the 
ship  was  sinking,  an'  the  passengers  drownding, 
and  he  was  to  come  an'  git  the  boats  out  an'  save 
'em.  Nice  sort  o'  game  it  was,  too.  We  had  to 
run  like  mad  with  kegs  o'  water  an'  bags  o'  bis- 
cuit, an'  then  run  the  boats  out  an'  launch  'em. 
All  the  men  were  told  off  to  certain  boats,  an'  the 
passengers  too.  The  only  difference  was,  if  a  pas- 
senger didn't  care  about  taking  a  hand  in  the 
game,  he  didn't,  but  we  had  to. 

"  One  o'  the  passengers  who  didn't  play  was 
Major  Miggens.  He  was  very  much  agin  it, 
an'  called  it  tomfoolery;  he  never  would  go 
to  his  boat,  but  used  to  sit  and  sneer  all  the 
time. 

" '  It's  only  teaching  the  men  to  cut  an'  run,'  he 
said  to  the  skipper  one  day;  'if  there  ever  was 
any  need  they'd  run  to  the  boats  an'  leave  ug 
here.     Don't  tell  me.' 

"'That's  not  the  way  I  should  ha'  expected  to 
hear  you  speak  of  British  sailors,  major,'  ses  the 
skipper  rather  huffy. 

"  '  British  sivcarers,'  ses  the  major,  sniflfing. 
'You  don't  hear  their  remarks  when  that  whistle 
is  blown.  It's  enough  to  bring  a  judgment  on 
the  ship.' 

"  '  If  you  can  point  'em  out  to  me  I'll  punish 
'em,'  says  the  skipper  very  warm. 

*' '  I'm    not   going   to   point  'em   out,'  ses   the 


A   DISCIPLINARIAN  IO9 

major,  *  I  symperthise  with  'em  too  much.  They 
don't  get  any  of  their  beauty  sleep,  pore  chaps, 
an'  they  want  it,  every  one  of  'em.' 

"  I  thought  that  was  a  very  kind  remark  o'  the 
major  to  make,  but  o'  course  some  of  the  wimmin 
larfed.  I  s'pose  they  think  men  don't  want  beauty 
sleep,  as  it's  called. 

"  I  heard  the  leftenant  symperthising  with  the 
skipper  arter  that.  He  said  the  major  was  simply 
jealous  because  the  men  drilled  so  beautifully,  an* 
then  they  walked  aft,  the  leftenant  talking  very 
earnest  an'  the  skipper  shaking  his  head  at  some- 
thing he  was  saying. 

"  It  was  just  two  nights  arter  this.  I'd  gone 
below  an'  turned  in  when  I  began  to  dream  that 
the  major  had  borrowed  the  bosen's  whistle  an' 
was  practising  on  it.  I  remember  thinking  in  my 
sleep  what  a  comfort  it  was  it  was  only  the  major, 
when  one  of  the  chaps  give  me  a  dig  in  the  back 
an'  woke  me. 

"  'Tumble  up,'  ses  he,  'the  ship's  a-fire.' 

"  I  rushed  up  on  deck,  an'  there  was  no  mistake 
about  who  was  blowing  the  whistle.  The  bell 
was  jangling  horrible,  smoke  was  rolling  up  from 
the  hatches,  an'  some  of  the  men  was  dragging 
out  the  hose  an'  tripping  up  the  passengers  with 
it  as  they  came  running  up  on  deck.  The  noise 
and  confusion  was  fearful.  ' 

"  '  Out  with  the  boats,'  ses  Tom  Hall  to  me, 
*  don't  you  hear  the  whistle  ? ' 


no  MORE   CARGOES 

"  '  What,  ain't  we  going  to  try  an'  put  the  fire 
out? '  I  ses. 

"  '  Obey  orders,'  ses  Tom, '  that's  what  we've  got 
to  do,  an'  the  sooner  we're  away  the  better.  You 
know  what's  in.  her.' 

"  We  ran  to  the  boats  then,  an',  I  must  say,  we 
got  'em  out  well,  and  the  very  fust  person  to  git 
into  mine  was  the  major  in  his  piejammers;  arter 
all  the  others  was  in  we  'ad  'im  out  agin.  He 
didn't  belong  to  our  boat,  an'  dissipline  is  dissi- 
pline  any  day. 

"  Afore  we  could  git  clear  o'  the  ship,  however, 
he  came  yelling  to  the  side  an'  said  his  boat  had 
gone,  an'  though  we  prodded  him  with  our  oars 
he  lowered  himself  over  the  side  and  dropped 
in. 

"  Fortunately  for  us  it  was  a  lovely  clear  night ; 
there  was  no  moon,  but  the  stars  were  very  bright. 
The  engines  had  stopped,  an'  the  old  ship  sat  on 
the  water  scarcely  moving.  Another  boat  was 
bumping  up  against  ours,  and  two  more  came 
creeping  round  the  bows  from  the  port  side  an' 
jined  us. 

"  '  Who's  in  command  ?  '  calls  out  the  major. 

"  '  I  am,'  ses  the  first  mate  very  sharp-like  from 
one  of  the  boats. 

"  'Where's  the  cap'n  then?'  called  out  an  old 
lady  from  my  boat  o'  the  name  o'  Prendergast. 

"  '  He's  standing  by  the  ship,'  ses  the  mate. 

"  '  Doing  what  ?  '  ses  Mrs.  Prendergast,  looking 


A   DISCIPLINARIAN  III 

at  the  water  as  though  she  expected  to  see  the 
skipper  standing  there. 

"  *  He's  going  down  with  the  ship,'  ses  one  o' 
the  chaps. 

"  Then  Mrs.  Prendergast  asked  somebody  to  be 
kind  enough  to  lend  her  a  handkerchief,  becos  she 
had  left  her  pocket  behind  aboard  ship,  and  began 
to  sob  very  bitter. 

"  '  Just  a  simple  British  sailor,'  ses  she,  snivel- 
ling, '  going  down  with  his  ship.  There  he  is. 
Look!     On  the  bridge.' 

"  We  all  looked,  an'  then  some  o'  the  other 
wimmin  wanted  to  borrer  handkerchiefs.  I  lent 
one  of  'em  a  little  cotton  waste,  but  she  was  so 
unpleasant  about  its  being  a  trifle  oily  that  she 
forgot  all  about  crying,  and  said  she'd  tell  the 
mate  about  me  as  soon  as  ever  we  got  ashore. 

"  '  I'll  remember  him  in  my  prayers,'  ses  one  o' 
the  wimmin  who  was  crying  comfortable  in  a  big 
red  bandana  belonging  to  one  o'  the  men. 

"  *  All  England  shall  ring  with  his  deed,'  ses 
another. 

"  '  Sympathy's  cheap,'  ses  one  of  the  men  pas- 
sengers solemnly.  '  If  we  ever  reach  land  we  must 
all  band  together  to  keep  his  widow  an'  orphans.' 

"  '  Hear,  hear,'  cries  everybody. 

"  '  And  we'll  put  up  a  granite  tombstone  to  his 
memory,'  ses  Mrs.  Prendergast, 

"  '  S'pose  we  pull  back  to  the  ship  an'  take  him 
off,'  ses   a  gentleman   from  another  boat.     '  I'm 


112  MORE   CARGOES 

thinking  it  *ud  come  cheaper,  an'  perhaps  the 
puir  mon  would  really  like  it  better  himself.' 

"  '  Shame,'  ses  most  of  'em ;  an'  I  reely  b'leeve 
they'd  worked  theirselves  up  to  that  pitch  they'd 
ha'  felt  disappointed  if  the  skipper  had  been  saved, 

"  We  pulled  along  slowly,  the  mate's  boat  lead- 
ing, looking  back  every  now  and  then  at  the  old 
ship,  and  wondering  when  she  would  go  off,  for 
she'd  got  that  sort  of  stuff  in  her  hold  which  'ud 
send  her  up  with  a  bang  as  soon  as  the  fire  got  to 
it ;  an'  we  was  all  waiting  for  the  shock. 

"  '  Do  you  know  where  we're  going,  Mr.  Bunce,* 
calls  out  the  major. 

"  'Yes,'  ses  the  mate. 

"  '  What's  the  nearest  land  ?  '  asks  the  major. 

"  '  Bout  a  thousand  miles,'  ses  the  mate. 

"  Then  the  major  went  into  figures,  an'  worked 
out  that  it  'ud  take  us  about  ten  days  to  reach 
land  and  three  to  reach  the  bottom  o'  the  water 
kegs.  He  shouted  that  out  to  the  mate  ;  an'  the 
young  leftenant  what  was  in  the  mate's  boat 
smoking  a  big  cigar  said  there'd  be  quite  a  run 
on  granite  tombstones.  He  said  it  was  a  blessed 
thing  he  had  disinherited  his  children  for  marrying 
agin  his  wishes,  so  there  wouldn't  be  any  orphans 
left  to  mourn  for  him. 

"  Some  o'  the  wimmin  smiled  a  little  at  this,  an* 
old  Mrs.  Prendergast  shook  so  that  she  made  the 
boat  rock.  We  got  quite  cheerful  somehow,  and 
one  of  the  other  men    spoke   up   and    said    that 


A   DISCIPLINARIAN  II3 

owing  to  his  only  having  reckoned  two  pints  to 
the  gallon,  the  major's  figgers  wasn't  to  be  relied 
upon. 

"  We  got  more  cheerful  then,  and  we  was 
beginning  to  look  on  it  as  just  a  picnic,  when 
I'm  blest  if  the  mate's  boat  didn't  put  about  and 
head  for  the  ship  agin. 

"  There  was  a  commotion  then  if  you  like,  every- 
body talking  and  laughing  at  once  ;  and  Mrs. 
Prendergast  said  that  such  a  thing  as  one  single- 
handed  cap'n  staying  behind  to  go  down  with  his 
ship,  and  then  putting  the  fire  out  all  by  himself 
after  his  men  had  fled,  had  never  been  heard  of 
before,  an'  she  said  it  never  would  be  again.  She 
said  he  must  be  terribly  burnt,  and  he'd  have  to  be 
put  to  bed  and  wrapped  up  in  oily  rags. 

"  It  didn't  take  us  long  to  get  aboard  again,  and 
the  ladies  fairly  mobbed  the  skipper.  Tom  Hall 
swore  as  'ow  Mrs.  Prendergast  tried  to  kiss  him,  an' 
the  fuss  they  made  of  him  was  ridiculous.  I  heard 
the  clang  of  the  telegraph  in  the  engine-room  soon 
as  the  boats  was  hoisted  up,  the  engines  started, 
and  off  we  went  again. 

"  '  Speech,*  yells  out  somebody.     '  Speech.' 

"  '  Bravo  !  '  ses  the  others.     '  Bravo  ! ' 

"Then  the  skipper  stood  up  an'  made 'em  a  nice 

little  speech.     First  of  all  he  thanked  'em  for  their 

partiality   and   kindness   shewn  to  him,  and  the 

orderly  way  in  which  they  had  left  the  ship.     He 

said  it  reflected  credit  on  all  concerned,  crew  and 
8 


114  MORE   CARGOES 

passengers,  an*  no  doubt  they  'd  be  surprised  when 
he  told  them  that  there  hadn't  been  any  fire  at  all, 
but  that  it  was  just  a  test  to  make  sure  that  the 
boat  drill  was  properly  understood. 

"  He  was  quite  right  about  them  being  surprised. 
Noisy,  too,  they  was,  an'  the  things  they  said  about 
the  man  they'd  just  been  wanting  to  give  granite 
tombstones  to  was  simply  astonishing.  It  would 
have  taken  a  whole  cemetery  o'  tombstones  to  put 
down  all  they  said  about  him,  and  then  they'd  ha' 
had  to  cut  the  letters  small. 

"  '  I  vote  we  have  an  indignation  meeting  in  the 
saloon  to  record  our  disgust  at  the  cap'n's  be- 
haviour,* ses  the  major  fiercely.  '  I  beg  to  propose 
that  Mr.  Macpherson  take  the  chair.' 

"  *  I  second  that,'  ses  another,  fierce-like. 

"  '  I  beg  to  propose  the  major  instead,'  ses  some- 
body else  in  a  heavy  off-hand  sort  o'  way ; 
*  Mr.  Macpherson's  boat  not  having  come  back 
yet.' 

"  At  first  everybody  thought  he  was  joking,  but 
when  they  found  he  was  really  speaking  the  truth 
the  excitement  was  awful.  Fortunately  as  Mrs. 
Prendergast  remarked,  there  was  no  ladies  in  the 
boat,  but  there  was  several  men  passengers.  We 
were  doing  a  good  thirteen  knots  an  hour,  but  we 
brought  up  at  once,  an'  then  we  'ad  the  most  lovely 
firework  display  I  ever  see  aboard  ship  in  my  life. 
Blue  lights  and  rockets  and  guns  going  all  night, 
while  we  cruised  slowly  about,  and  the  passengers 


A   DISCIPLINARIAN  II5 

sat  on  deck  arguing   as  to   whether  the  skipper 
would  be  hung  or  imprisoned  for  Hfe. 

"  It  was  daybreak  afore  we  sighted  them,  just  a 
Httle  speck  near  the  sky-Hne,  an'  we  bore  down  on 
them  for  all  we  was  worth.  Half  an  hour  later 
they  was  alongside,  an*  of  all  the  chilly,  miserable- 
looking  men  I  ever  see  they  was  the  worst. 

"  They  had  to  be  helped  up  the  side  a'most,  and 
they  was  so  grateful  it  was  quite  affecting,  until 
the  true  state  o'  things  was  explained  to  them.  It 
seemed  to  change  'em  wonderful,  an'  after  Mr. 
Macpherson  had  had  three  cups  o'  hot  coffee  an' 
four  glasses  o'  brandy  he  took  the  chair  at  the 
indignation  meeting,  an'  went  straight  off  to  sleep 
in  it.  They  woke  him  up  three  times,  but  he  was 
so  cross  about  it  that  the  ladies  had  to  go  away 
an'  the  meeting  was  adjourned. 

"  I  don't  think  it  ever  came  to  much  after  all, 
nobody  being  really  hurt,  an'  the  skipper  being  so 
much  upset  they  felt  sort  o*  sorry  for  'im. 

"The  rest  of  the  passage  was  very  quiet  an' 
comfortable,  but  o'  course  it  all  came  out  at  the 
other  end,  an'  the  mate  brought  the  ship  home. 
Some  o'  the  chaps  said  the  skipper  was  a  bit  wrong 
in  the  *ed,  and,  while  I'm  not  gainsaying  that, 
it's  my  firm  opinion  that  he  was  persuaded  to  do 
what  he  did  by  that  young  leftenant.  As  I  said 
afore,  he  was  a  larky  young  chap,  an'  very  fond  of 
a  joke  if  he  didn't  have  to  pay  for  it." 


BROTHER  HUTCHINS 

"I've  got  a  friend  coming  down  with  us  this 
trip,  George,"  said  the  master  of  the  Wave  as  they 
sat  on  deck  after  tea  watching  the  river.  "  One  of 
our  new  members,  Brother  Hutchins." 

"  From  the  Mission,  I  s'pose  ?  "  said  the  mate 
coldly. 

"  From  the  Mission,"  confirmed  the  skipper. 
"  You'll  like  him,  George  ;  he's  been  one  o'  the 
greatest  rascals  that  ever  breathed." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  said  the 
mate,  looking  up  indignantly. 

"  He's  'ad  a  most  interestin'  life,"  said  the 
skipper ;  "  he's  been  in  half  the  jails  of  England. 
To  hear  'im  talk  is  as  good  as  reading  a  book. 
And  'e's  as  merry  as  they  make  'em." 

"  Oh,  and  is  'e  going  to  give  us  prayers  afore 
breakfast  like  that  fat-necked,  white-faced  old 
rascal  what  came  down  with  us  last  summer  and 
stole  my  boots  ?  "  demanded  the  mate. 

"  He  never  stole  'em,  George,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  If  yo'd  'eard  that  man  cry  when  I  mentioned 

to  'im  your  unjust   suspicions,  you'd   never   have 

forgiven  yourself.     He  told  'em  at  the  meetin',  an' 

they  had  prayers  for  you." 

"You  an'  your  Mission  are  a  pack  o'  fools," 
ii6 


BROTHER   HUTCHINS  II/ 

said  the  mate  scornfully.  "  You're  always  being 
done.  A  man  comes  to  you  an'  ses  'e's  found 
grace,  and  you  find  'im  a  nice,  easy,  comfortable 
living.  'E  sports  a  bit  of  blue  ribbon  and  a  red 
nose  at  the  same  time.  Don't  tell  me.  You 
ask  me  why  I  don't  join  you,  and  I  tell  you 
it's  because  I  don't  want  to  lose  my  common 
sense." 

"  You'll  know  better  one  o'  these  days,  George," 
said  the  skipper,  rising.  "  I  earnestly  hope  you'll 
'ave  some  great  sorrow  or  affliction,  something 
almost  too  great  for  you  to  bear.  It's  the  only 
thing  that'll  save  you." 

"  I  expect  that  fat  chap  what  stole  my  boots 
would  like  to  see  it  too,"  said  the  mate. 

"  He  would,"  said  the  skipper  solemnly.  "  He 
said  so." 

The  mate  got  up,  fuming  and  knocking  his  pipe 
out  with  great  violence  against  the  side  of  the 
schooner,  stamped  up  and  down  the  deck  two 
or  three  times,  and  then,  despairing  of  regaining 
his  accustomed  calm  on  board,  went  ashore. 

It  was  late  when  he  returned.  A  light  burnt 
in  the  cabin,  and  the  skipper  with  his  spectacles 
on  was  reading  aloud  from  an  old  number  of  the 
Evangelical  Magazine  to  a  thin,  white-faced  man 
dressed  in  black. 

"  That's  my  mate,"  said  the  skipper,  looking  up 
from  his  book. 

"  Is  he  one  of  our  band  ?  "  inquired  the  stranger. 


Il8  MORE  CARGOES 

The  skipper  shook  his  head  despondently. 

"  Not  yet,"  said  the  stranger  encouragingly. 

"  Seen  too  many  of  'em,"  said  the  mate  bluntly. 
"The  more  I  see  of  'em,  the  less  I  like  'em.  It 
makes  me  feel  wicked  to  look  at  'em." 

"  Ah,  that  ain't  you  speaking  now,  it's  the  Evil 
One,"  said  Mr.  Hutchins  confidently. 

"  I  s'pose  you  know  'im  pretty  well,"  said  the 
mate  simply. 

"  I  lived  with  him  thirty  years,"  said  Mr. 
Hutchins  solemnly,  "  then  I  got  tired  of  him." 

"  I  should  think  he  got  a  bit  sick  too,"  said  the 
mate.  "  Thirty  days  'ud  ha'  been  too  long  for 
me." 

He  went  to  his  berth  to  give  Mr.  Hutchins 
time  to  frame  a  suitable  reply  and  returned 
with  a  full  bottle  of  whisky  and  a  tumbler,  and 
having  drawn  the  cork  with  a  refreshing  pop, 
mixed  himself  a  stiff  glass  and  lit  his  pipe. 
Mr.  Hutchins  with  a  deep  groan  gazed  re- 
proachfully at  the  skipper  and  shook  his  head 
at  the  bottle. 

"  You  know  I  don't  like  you  to  bring  that 
filthy  stuff  in  the  cabin,  George,"  said  the 
skipper. 

"  It's  not  for  me,"  said  the  mate  flippantly. 
"  It's  for  the  Evil  One.  He  ses  the  sight  of  his 
old  pal  'Utchins  'as  turned  his  stomach." 

He  glanced  at  the  stranger  and  saw  to  his 
astonishment  that  he  appeared  to  be  struggling 


BROTHER    HUTCHINS  II9 

with  a  strong  desire  to  laugh.  His  Hps  tightened 
and  his  shifty  httle  eyes  watered,  but  he  conquered 
himself  in  a  moment,  and  rising  to  his  feet  de- 
livered a  striking  address — in  favor  of  teetotalism. 
He  condemned  whisky  as  not  only  wicked,  but 
unnecessary,  declaring  with  a  side  glance  at  the 
mate  that  two  acidulated  drops  dissolved  in 
water   were   an    excellent    substitute. 

The  sight  of  the  whisky  appeared  to  madden 
him,  and  the  skipper  sat  spell-bound  at  his 
eloquence,  until  at  length,  after  apostrophising 
the  bottle  in  a  sentence  which  left  him  breath- 
less, he  snatched  it  up  and  dashed  it  to  pieces 
on  the  floor. 

For  a  moment  the  mate  was  struck  dumb  with 
fury,  then  with  a  roar  he  leaped  up  and  rushed  for 
the  lecturer,  but  the  table  was  between  them,  and 
before  he  could  get  over  it  the  skipper  sprang  up 
and  seizing  him  by  the  arm,  pushed  him  into  the 
state-room. 

"  Lea'  go,"  foamed  the  mate.     "  Let  me  get  at 
im. 
"  George,"  said  the  skipper,  still  striving  with 
him,  "  I'm  ashamed  of  you." 

"  Ashamed,  be  damned,"  yelled  the  mate  strug- 
gling. "  What  did  he  chuck  my  whisky  away 
for  ?  " 

"  He's  a  saint,"  said  the  skipper,  relaxing  his 
hold  as  he  heard  Mr.  Hutchins  lock  himself  in. 
"  He's  a  saint,  George.     Seein'  'is  beautiful  words 


I20  MORE   CARGOES 

'ad  no  effect  on  you,  he  'ad  recourse  to  strong 
measures." 

"  Wait  till  I  get  hold  of  'im,"  said  the  mate 
menacingly.     "  Only  wait,  I'll  saint  'im." 

"  Is  he  better,  dear  friend  ?  "  came  the  voice  of 
Mr.  Hutchins  from  beyond  the  door,  "because 
I  forgot  the  tumbler." 

"  Come  out,"  roared  the  mate,  "  come  out  and 
upset  it." 

Mr.  Hutchins  declined  the  invitation,  but  from 
behind  the  door  pleaded  tearfully  with  the  mate 
to  lead  a  better  life,  and  even  rebuked  the  skipper 
for  allowing  the  bottle  of  sin  to  be  produced  in 
the  cabin.  The  skipper  took  the  rebuke  humbly, 
and  after  requesting  Mr.  Hutchins  to  sleep  in  the 
state-room  that  night  in  order  to  frustrate  the 
evident  designs  of  the  mate,  went  on  deck  for  a 
final  look  round  and  then  came  below  and  turned 
in  himself. 

The  crew  of  the  schooner  were  early  astir  next 
morning  getting  under  way,  but  Mr.  Hutchins 
kept  his  bed,  although  the  mate  slipped  down  to 
the  cabin  several  times  and  tapped  at  his  door. 
When  he  did  come  up  the  mate  was  at  the  wheel 
and  the  men  down  below  getting  breakfast. 

"  Sleep  well  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Hutchins  softly,  as 
he  took  a  seat  on  the  hatches,  a  little  distance 
from  him. 

"  I'll  let  you  know  when  I  haven't  got  this 
wheel,"  said  the  mate  sourly. 


BROTHER   HUTCHINS  121 

"  Do,"  said  Mr.  Hutchins  genially.  "  We  shall 
see  you  at  our  meeting  to-night  ? "  he  asked 
blandly. 

The  mate  disdained  to  reply,  but  his  wrath 
when  at  Mr.  Hutchins*  request  the  cabin  was 
invaded  by  the  crew  that  evening,  cannot  be  put 
into  words. 

For  three  nights  they  had  what  Mr.  Hutchins 
described  as  love-feasts,  and  the  mate  as  blamed 
bear-gardens.  The  crew  were  not  particularly 
partial  to  hymns,  considered  as  such,  but  hymns 
shouted  out  with  the  full  force  of  their  lungs 
while  sharing  the  skipper's  hymn  book  appealed 
to  them  strongly.  Besides,  it  maddened  the 
mate,  and  to  know  that  they  were  defying  their 
superior,  and  at  the  same  time  doing  good  to 
their  own  souls,  was  very  sweet.  The  boy,  whose 
voice  was  just  breaking,  got  off  some  surprising 
effects,  and  seemed  to  compass  about  five  octaves 
without  distress. 

When  they  were  exhausted  with  singing  Mr. 
Hutchins  would  give  them  a  short  address, 
generally  choosing  as  his  subject  a  strong,  violent- 
tempered  man  given  to  drink  and  coarse  language. 
The  speaker  proved  conclusively  that  a  man  who 
drank  would  do  other  things  in  secret,  and  he 
pictured  this  man  going  home  and  beating  his 
wife  because  she  reproached  him  for  breaking 
open  the  children's  money-box  to  spend  the 
savings   on     Irish    whisky.     At   every   point   he 


122  MORE   CARGOES 

made  he  groaned,  and  the  crew,  as  soon  as  they 
found  they  might  groan  too,  did  so  with  extraor- 
dinary gusto,  the  boy's  groans  being  weird 
beyond  conception. 

They  reached  Plymouth  where  they  had  to  put 
out  a  few  cases  of  goods,  just  in  time  to  save  the 
mate's  reason,  for  the  whole  ship,  owing  to  Mr. 
Hutchins'  zeal  was  topsy  turvy.  The  ship's  cat  sat 
up  all  one  night  cursing  him  and  a  blue  ribbon  he 
had  tied  round  her  neck,  and  even  the  battered 
old  tea-pot  came  down  to  meals  bedizened  with 
bows  of  the  same  proselytising  hue. 

By  the  time  they  had  got  to  their  moorings  it 
was  too  late  to  take  the  hatches  off,  and  the  crew 
sat  gazing  longingly  at  the  lights  ashore.  Their 
delight  when  the  visitor  obtained  permission  for 
them  to  go  ashore  with  him  for  a  little  stroll  was 
unbounded,  and  they  set  off  like  schoolboys. 

"  They  couldn't  be  with  a  better  man,"  said  the 
skipper,  as  the  party  moved  off ;  "  when  I  think  of 
the  good  that  man's  done  in  under  four  days  it 
makes  me  ashamed  of  myself." 

"  You  had  better  ship  'im  as  mate,"  said  George. 
"  There'd  be  a  pair  of  you  then." 

"  There's  greater  work  for  'im  to  do,"  said  the 
skipper  solemnly. 

He  saw  the  mate's  face  in  the  waning  light  and 
moved  off  with  a  sigh.  The  mate,  for  his  part, 
leaned  against  the  side  smoking,  and  as  the  skipper 
declined  to  talk  on  any  subject  but  Mr.  Hutchins, 


BROTHER   HUTCHINS  123 

relapsed  into  a  moody  silence  until  the  return  of 
the  crew  some  two  hours  later. 

"  Mr.  Hutchins  is  coming  on  after,  sir,"  said  the 
boy.  "  He  told  us  to  say  he  was  paying  a  visit  to 
a  friend." 

"  What's  the  name  of  the  pub  ? "  asked  the 
mate  quietly. 

"  If  you  can't  speak  without  showing  your  nasty 
temper,  George,  you'd  better  hold  your  tongue," 
said  the  skipper  severely.  "  What's  your  opinion 
about  Mr.  Hutchins,  my  lads?" 

"  A  more  open  'arted  man  never  breathed,"  said 
Dan,  the  oldest  of  the  crew,  warmly. 

"  Best  feller  I  ever  met  in  my  life,"  said  another. 

"  You  hear  that  ?  "  said  the  skipper. 

"  I  hear,"  said  the  mate. 

"'E's  a  Christian,"  said  the  boy.  "I  never 
knew  what  a  Christian  was  before  I  met  'im. 
What  do  you  think  'e  give  us." 

"  Give  you  ?  "  said  the  skipper. 

"A  pound  cash,"  said  the  boy.  "A  golden 
sovring  each.  Tork  about  Christians  !  I  wish  I 
knew  a  few  more  of  'em." 

"  Well  I  never ! "  exclaimed  the  gratified 
skipper. 

"  An'  the  way  'e  did  it  was  so  nice,"  said  the 
oldest  seamen.  "  'E  ses,  '  that's  from  me  an  '  the 
skipper,'  'e  ses.  '  Thank  the  skipper  for  it  as 
much  as  me,'  'e  ses." 

"  Well  now,  don't  waste  it,"  said  the  skipper. 


124  MORE   CARGOES 

"  I  should  bank  it  if  I  was  you.  It'll  make  a  nice 
little  nest-egg." 

"  I  'ope  it  was  come  by  honest,  that's  all,"  said 
the  mate. 

"  O'  course  it  was,"  cried  the  skipper.  "  You've 
got  a  'ard,  cruel  'art,  George.  P'raps  if  it  'ad 
been  a  little  softer  you'd  'ave  'ad  one  too." 

"  Blast  'is  sovrings,"  said  the  surly  mate.  "  I'd 
like  to  know  where  he  got  'em  from,  an'  wot  'e 
means  by  saying  it  come  from  you  as  much  as 
'im.     I  never  knew  yoii  to  give  money  away." 

"  I  s'pose,"  said  the  skipper  very  softly,  "  he 
means  that  I  put  such  like  thoughts  into  'is  'art. 
Well,  you'd  better  turn  in,  my  lads.  We  start 
work  at  four." 

The  hands  went  forward,  and  the  skipper  and 
mate  descended  to  the  cabin  and  prepared  for 
sleep.  The  skipper  set  a  lamp  on  the  table  ready 
for  Mr.Hutchins  when  he  should  return,  and  after  a 
short  inward  struggle  bade  the  mate  "  good-night," 
and  in  a  couple  of  minutes  was  fast  asleep. 

At  four  o'clock  the  mate  woke  suddenly  to  find 
the  skipper  standing  by  his  berth.  The  lamp  still 
stood  burning  on  the  table,  fighting  feebly  against 
the  daylight  which  was  pouring  in  through  the  sky- 
light. 

"  Not  turned  up  yet  ?  "  said  the  mate,  with  a 
glance  at  the  visitor's  empty  berth. 

The  skipper  shook  his  head  spiritlessly  and 
pointed  to  the  table.  The  mate  following  his 
finger,  saw  a  small  canvas  bag,  and  by  the  side  of 


BROTHER   HUTCHINS  12$ 

it  fourpence  halfpenny  in  coppers  and  an  unknown 
amount  in  brace  buttons. 

"  There  was  twenty-three  pounds  freight  money 
in  that  bag  when  we  left  London,"  said  the  skip- 
per, finding  his  voice  at  last. 

"Well,  what  do  you  think's  become  of  it?" 
inquired  the  mate,  taking  up  the  lamp  and  blow- 
ing it  out. 

"  I  can't  think,"  said  the  skipper,  "  my  'ed's  all 
confused.  Bro — Mr.  Hutchins  ain't  come  back 
yet." 

"  I  s'pose  he  was  late  and  didn't  like  to  disturb 
you,"  said  the  mate  without  moving  a  muscle, 
"but  I've  no  doubt  'e's  all  right.  Don't  you 
worry  about  him." 

"  It's  very  strange  where  it's  gone,  George," 
faltered  the  skipper,  "  very  strange." 

"  Well,  'Utchins  is  a  generous  sort  o'  chap," 
said  the  mate,  "  'e  give  the  men  five  pounds  for 
nothing,  so  perhaps  he'll  give  you  something — 
when  'e  comes  back." 

"  Go  an'  ask  the  crew  to  come  down  here,"  said 
the  skipper,  sinking  on  a  locker  and  gazing  at  the 
brazen  collection  before  him. 

The  mate  obeyed,  and  a  few  minutes  afterwards 
returned  with  the  men,  who  swarming  into  the 
cabin,  listened  sympathetically  as  the  skipper 
related  his  loss. 

"  It's  a  mystery  which  nobody  can  understand, 
sir,"  said  old  Dan  when  he  had  finished,  "  and  it's 
no  use  tryin'." 


126  MORE   CARGOES 

"  One  o*  them  things  what  won't  never  be 
cleared  up  properly,"  said  the  cook  comfortably. 

"  Well,  I  don't  like  to  say  it,"  said  the  skipper, 
"  but  I  must.  The  only  man  who  could  have  taken 
it  was  Hutchins." 

"  Wot,  sir,"  said  Dan,  "  that  blessed  man  !  Why, 
I'd  laugh  at  the  idea." 

"  He  couldn't  do  it,"  said  the  boy,  "  not  if  he 
tried  he  couldn't.     He  was  too  good." 

"  He's  taken  that  twenty-three  poun',"  said  the 
skipper  deliberately  ;  "  eighteen,  we'll  call  it,  be- 
cause I'm  goin'  to  have  five  of  it  back." 

"  You're  labourin'  under  a  great  mistake,  sir," 
said  Dan  ambiguously. 

"  Are  you  going  to  give  me  that  money  ?  "  said 
the  skipper  loudly. 

"  Beggin'  your  pardon,  sir,  no,"  said  the  cook, 
speaking  for  the  rest  as  he  put  his  foot  on  the 
companion-ladder.  "  Brother  'Utchins  gave  us 
that  money  for  singing  them  'ims  so  well.  'E  said 
so,  and  we  ain't  'ad  no  call  to  think  as  it  warn't 
honestly  come  by.  Nothing  could  ever  make  us 
think  that,  would  it,  mates  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  said  the  others  with  exemplary 
firmness.     "  It  couldn't  be  done." 

They  followed  the  cook  up  on  deck,  and  lean- 
ing over  the  side,  gazed  in  a  yearning  fashion 
toward  the  place  where  they  had  last  seen  their 
benefactor.  Then,  with  a  sorrowful  presentiment 
that  they  could  never  look  upon  his  like  again,  they 
turned  away  and  prepared  for  the  labours  of  the  day. 


THE  DISBURSEMENT  SHEET 

The  old  man  was  dead,  and  his  son  Edward 
reigned  in  his  stead.  The  old  man  had  risen 
from  an  humble  position  in  life ;  his  rule  was  easy, 
and  his  manner  of  conducting  business  eminently 
approved  of  by  the  rough  old  seamen  who  sailed 
his  small  craft  round  the  coast,  and  by  that  sharp 
clerk  Simmons,  on  whose  discovery  the  old  man 
was  wont,  at  times,  to  hug  himself  in  secret.  The 
proceedings,  when  one  of  his  skippers  came  home 
from  a  voyage,  were  severely  simple.  The  skip- 
per would  produce  a  bag,  and,  emptying  it  upon 
the  table,  give  an  account  of  his  voyage  ;  when- 
ever he  came  to  an  expenditure,  raking  the  sum 
out  of  the  heap,  until,  at  length,  the  cash  was 
divided  into  two  portions,  one  of  which  went  to 
the  owner,  the  other  to  the  skipper. 

But  other  men  other  manners.  The  books 
of  the  inimitable  Simmons  being  overhauled,  re- 
vealed the  startling  fact  that  they  were  kept  by 
single  entry ;  in  addition  to  which,  a  series  of  dots 
and  dashes  appeared  against  the  figures,  forming 
a  code,  the  only  key  to  which  was  locked  up 
somewhere  in  Simmons's  interior. 

"  It's  a  wonder  the  firm  hasn't  gone  bankrupt 

long  ago,"  said  the  new  governor,  after  the  clerk 

127 


128  MORE   CARGOES 

had  explained  the  meaning  of  various  signs  and 
wonders.  "  What  does  this  starfish  against  the 
entry  mean  ?" 

"  It  isn't  a  starfish,  sir,"  said  Simmons  ;  it  means 
that  one  bag  of  sugar  got  wetted  a  Httle ;  then,  if 
the  consigners  notice  it,  we  shall  know  we  have 
got  to  allow  for  it." 

"  A  pretty  way  of  doing  business,  upon  my 
word.  It'll  all  have  to  be  altered,"  said  the  other, 
"  I  must  have  new  ofifices  too ;  this  dingy  little 
hole  is  enough  to  frighten  people  away." 

The  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  en- 
trance of  Captain  Fazackerly,  of  the  schooner 
Sarah  Ann,  who,  having  just  brought  up  in  the 
river,  had  hastened  to  the  ofifice  to  report. 

"  Mornin',  sir,"  said  the  captain  respectfully ; 
"  I'm  glad  to  see  you  here,  sir,  but  the  office  don't 
seem  real  like  without  your  father  sitting  in  it. 
He  was  a  good  master,  and  we're  all  sorry  to  lose 
him." 

"  You're  very  good,"  said  the  new  master  some- 
what awkwardly. 

"  I  expect  it'll  take  some  time  for  you  to  get 
into  the  way  of  it,"  said  the  captain  with  a  view 
to  giving  the  conversation  a  more  cheerful  turn. 

"  I  expect  it  will,"  said  the  new  master,  thinking 
of  the  starfish. 

"  It's  a  mercy  Simmons  was  not  took  too,"  said 
the  captain,  shaking  his  head.  "  As  it  is,  he's 
spared  ;  he'll  be  able  to  teach  you.     There  ain't  " 


THE  DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  1 29 

■ — he  lowered  his  voice,  not  wishing  to  make  Sim- 
mons unduly  proud — **  there  ain't  a  smarter  clerk 
in  all  Liverpool  than  wot  he  is." 

"  I'm  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  the  new  master,  re- 
garding the  old  man  with  raised  eyebrows,  as  he 
extricated  a  plethoric-looking  canvas  bag  from  his 
jacket  pocket  and  dropped  it  with  a  musical  crash 
on  the  chipped  office  table.  His  eyebrows  went 
still  higher,  as  the  old  man  unfastened  the  string, 
and  emptying  the  contents  on  to  the  table,  knitted 
his  brows  into  reflective  wrinkles,  and  began  to 
debit  the  firm  with  all  the  liabilities  of  a  slow  but 
tenacious  memory. 

"  Oh,  come,"  said  the  owner  sharply,  as  the  old 
man  lovingly  hooked  out  the  sum  of  five-and- 
sixpence  as  a  first  instalment,  "this  won't  do, 
cap  n. 

"Wot  won't  do,  Mas'r  Edward?"  inquired  the 
old  man  in  surprise. 

"  Why  this  way  of   doing   business,"  said   the 

other.     "  It's  not  business-like  at  all,  you  know." 

"Well,    it's  the    way    me    an'    your     pore    old 

father  has  done  it  this  last  thirty  year,"  said  the 

skipper,    "an'    I'm    sure    I've   never   knowingly 

cheated    him    out    of   a   ha'penny  ;  and  a  better 

man  o'  business  than  your  father  never  breathed." 

"  Yes ;    well,    I'm   going   to   do    things    a    bit 

differently,"  said  the  new   master.     "  You    must 

give  me  a  proper  disbursement  sheet,  cap'n,  if  you 

please." 

9 


130  MORE   CARGOES 

"And  what  may  that  be?"  inquired  Captain 
Fazackerly  as,  with  great  slowness,  he  gathered, 
up  the  money  and  replaced  it  in  the  bag  ;  "  I 
never  heard  of  it  afore." 

"  Well,  I  haven't  got  time  to  teach  you  book- 
keeping," said  the  other,  somewhat  nettled  at  the 
old  man's  manner.  "  Can't  you  get  some  of  your 
brother  captains  to  show  you  ?  Some  deep-sea 
man  would  be  sure  to  know." 

"  I'll  see  what  I  can  do,  sir,"  said  the  skipper 
slowly  as  he  turned  towards  the  door.  "  My  word 
was  always  good  enough  for  your  father." 

In  a  moody,  indignant  frame  of  mind  he  stuck 
his  hands  furiously  in  his  trousers'  pockets,  and 
passed  heavily  through  the  swing-doors.  At  other 
times  he  had  been  wont  to  take  a  genial,  if  heavy 
interest  in  passing  events ;  but,  in  this  instance, 
he  plodded  on,  dwelling  darkly  upon  his  grievance, 
until  he  reached,  by  the  mere  force  of  habit,  a 
certain  favourite  tavern.  He  pulled  up  sharply, 
and,  as  a  mere  matter  of  duty  and  custom,  and 
not  because  he  wanted  it,  went  in  and  ordered  a 
glass  of  gin. 

He  drank  three,  and  was  so  hazy  in  his  replies 
to  the  young  lady  behind  the  bar,  usually  a  prime 
favourite,  that  she  took  offence,  and  availing  her- 
self, for  private  reasons,  of  a  public  weapon,  coldly 
declined  to  served  him  with  a  fourth. 

"  Wot  ?"  said  the  astounded  Fazackerly,  coming 
out  of  his  haze. 


THE   DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  I3I 

"  You've  had  enough  !  "  said  the  girl  firmly. 
"You  get  aboard  again,  and  mind  hoiv  you  do  so!' 

The  skipper  gazed  at  her  for  a  moment  in  open- 
mouthed  horror,  and  then  jamming  his  hat  firmly 
over  his  brows,  stumbled  out  of  the  door  and  into 
the  street,  where  he  ran  full  into  the  arms  of 
another  mariner  who  was  just  entering. 

"  Why,  Zacky,  my  boy,"  cried  the  latter,  clap- 
ping him  lustily  on  the  back,  how  goes  it  ?  " 

In  broken  indignant  accents  the  other  told  him. 

"  You  come  in  with  me,"  said  the  newcomer. 

"  I'll  never  enter  that  pub  again,"  said  the 
skipper. 

"  You  come  in  with  me,"  said  the  master-mind 
firmly. 

Captain  Fazackerly  hesitated  a  moment,  and 
then,  feeling  that  he  was  safe  in  the  hands  of  the 
master  of  a  foreign-going  barque,  followed  him 
into  the  bar,  and  from  behind  his  back  glared 
defiantly  at  his  fair  foe. 

"  Two  glasses  o'  gin,  my  dear,"  said  Captain 
Tweedie  with  the  slightest  possible  emphasis. 

The  girl,  who  knew  her  customer,  served  him 
without  a  murmur,  deftly  avoiding  the  gaze  of 
ungenerous  triumph  with  which  the  injured  captain 
favoured  her  as  he  raised  the  cooling  beverage  to 
his  lips.  The  glass  emptied,  he  placed  it  on  the 
counter  and  sighed  despondently. 

"There's  something  up  with  you,  Zacky,"  said 
Tweedie,  eyeing  him   closely    as  he  bit   the   end 


132  MORE   CARGOES 

off  a  cigar  ;  "  you've  got  something  on  your 
mind. 

"  I've  been  crool  hurt,"  said  his  friend  in  a  hard, 
cold  voice.  "My  word  ain't  good  enough  for  the 
new  guv'nor  ;  he  wants  what  he  calls  a  disburse- 
ment sheet." 

"  Well,  give  him  one,"said  Tweedie.  "You  know 
what  it  is,  don't  you  ?  " 

Captain  Fazackerly  shook  his  head,  and  pushing 
the  glasses  along  the  counter  nodded  for  them  to 
be  refilled. 

"You  come  aboard  with  me,"  said  Tweedie  after 
they  had  emptied  them. 

Captain  Fazackerly,  who  had  a  doglike  faith  in 
his  friend,  followed  him  into  the  street  and  on  to 
his  barque.  In  a  general  way  he  experienced  a 
social  rise  when  he  entered  the  commodious 
cabin  of  that  noble  craft,  and  his  face  grew  in 
importance  as  his  host,  after  motioning  him  to  a 
seat,  placed  a  select  array  of  writing  materials 
before  him. 

"  I  s'pose  I've  got  to  do  it,"  he  said  slowly. 

"  Of  course  you  have,"  said  Tweedie,  rolling  his 
cigar  between  his  thin  lips  ;  "  you've  got  orders  to 
do  so,  haven't  you  ?  We  must  all  obey  those  above 
us.  What  would  you  do  if  one  of  your  men  refused 
to  obey  an  order  of  yours  ?  " 

"  Hit  him  in  the  face,"  said  Captain  Fazackerly 
with  simple  directness. 

"  Just  so,"  said  Tweedie,  who  was  always  ready 


THE   DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  I33 

to  impart  moral  teaching.  "  And  when  your 
governor  asks  for  a  disbursement  sheet  you've  got 
to  give  him  one.  Now,  then,  head  that  paper — 
Voyage  of  the  Sarah  Ann,  180  tons  register, 
Garston  Docks  to  Limerick." 

The  captain  squared  his  elbows,  and,  for  a  few 
seconds,  nothing  was  heard  but  his  stertorous 
breathing  and  the  scratching  of  the  pen  ;  then  a 
muttered  execration,  and  Captain  Fazackerly  put 
down  his  pen  with  a  woe-begone  air. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  said  Tweedie. 

"  I've  spelt  register  without  the  '  d.'  "  said  the 
other;  "  that's  what  comes  o'  being  worried." 

*'  It  don't  matter,"  said  Tweedie  hastily.  "  Now 
what  about  stores  ?  Wait  a  bit  though ;  of 
course  ye  repaired  your  side-lamps  before  start- 
mg? 

"  Lor',  no  !  "  said  Captain  Fazackerly,  staring  ; 
"what  for?     They  were  all  right." 

"  Ye  lie,"  said  Tweedie  sternly,  '*  you  did  !  To 
repairs  to  side-lamps,  ten  shillings.  Now  then, 
did  you  paint  her  this  trip  ?  " 

"  I  did,"  said  the  other,  looking  at  the  last  entry 
in  a  fascinated  fashion. 

"  Let's  see,"  said  Tweedie  meditatively — "  we'll 
say  five  gallons  of  black  varnish  at  one  shilling 
and  threepence  a  gallon " 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  scribe  ;  "  I  used  gas  tar  at 
threepence  a  gallon." 

"  Five  gallons  black  varnish,  one  shilling  and 


134  MORE   CARGOES 

threepence  a  gallon,  six-and-threepence,"  said 
Tweedie,  raising  his  voice  a  little  ;  '*  have  you 
got  that  down  ?  " 

After  a  prolonged  struggle  with  his  feelings  the 
other  said  he  had. 

"  Twenty-eight  pounds  black  paint  at  twopence 
a  pound,"  continued  Tweedie. 

"  Nay,  nay,"  said  the  skipper ;  "  I  alius  saves 
the  soot  out  of  the  galley  for  that." 

The  other  captain  took  his  cigar  from  his  lips 
and  gazed  severely  at  his  guest. 

"  Am  I  dealing  with  a  chimney-sweep  or  a  ship's 
captain  ?  "  he  inquired  plaintively  ;  "  it  would  sim- 
plify matters  a  bit  if  I  knew." 

"  Go  on,  Captain  Tweedie,"  said  the  other,  turn- 
ing a  fine  purple  colour;  "  how  much  did  you  say 
it  was?  " 

"  Twenty-eight  twos  equals  fifty-six  ;  that's  four- 
and-ninepence,"  continued  Tweedie,  his  face  re- 
laxing to  receive  the  cigar  again  ;  "  and  twenty- 
eight  pounds  white  lead  at  twenty-eight  shillings 
a  hundredweight " 

"  Three  penn'orth  o'  whiting's  good  enough  for 
me,  matey,"  said  Captain  Fazackerly,  making  a 
stand, 

"  See  here,"  said  Tweedie,  "who's  making  out 
this  disbursement  sheet,  you  or  me?  " 

"■  You  are,"  said  the  other. 

"  Very  good  then,"  said  his  friend  ;  "  now  don't 
you  interrupt.     I  don't  mind  telling  you,  you  must 


THE   DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  I35 

never  use  rubbish  o'  that  sort  in  a  disbursement 
sheet.  It  looks  bad  for  the  firm.  If  any  other 
owners  saw  that  in  your  old  man's  sheet  he'd 
never  hear  the  end  of  it,  and  he'd  never  forgive 
you.  That'll  be — what  did  I  say  ?  Seven  shillings. 
And  now  we  come  to  the  voyage.  Ye  had  a  tug 
to  give  ye  a  pluck  out  to  the  bar." 

"  No ;  we  went  out  with  a  fair  wind,"  said 
Captain  Fazackerly,  toying  with  his  pen. 

"  Ye  lie  ;  ye  had  a  tug  out  to  the  bar,"  repeated 
Tweedie  wearily,     ''  Did  ye  share  the  towing  ?  " 

"  Why,  no,  I  tell  'e " 

"  That'll  be  three  pounds  then,"  said  Tweedie. 

"  If  ye'd  shared  it  it  would  have  been  two  pound 
ten.  You  should  always  study  your  owner  in 
these  matters,  cap'n.  Now,  what  about  bad 
weather  ?     Any  repairs  to  the  sails  ?  " 

"  Ay,  we  had  a  lot  o'  damage,"  said  Fazackerly, 
laying  down  his  pen  ;  "  it  took  us  days  to  repair 
'em.  Cost  us  four  pounds.  We  had  to  put  into 
Holyhead  for  shelter." 

"  Four  pounds,"  said  Tweedie,  his  voice  rising 
almost  to  a  scream. 

"  Ay,  all  that,"  said  Fazackerly  very  solemnly. 

"  Look  here,"  said  Tweedie  in  a  choked  voice. 
"  Blown  away  fore  lower  topsail,  forestaysail,  and 
carried  away  lifts  to  staysail.  To  sailmaker  for 
above,  eleven  pounds  eighteen  shillings  and  ten- 
pence.  Then  ye  say  ye  put  into  Holyhead  for 
shelter.     Well,  here  in  entering  harbor  we'll  say 


136  MORE  CARGOES 

loss  of  port  anchor  and  thirty  fathoms  of  chain 
cable " 

"  Man  alive,"  said  the  overwrought  skipper, 
hitting  the  table  heavily  with  his  fist,  "  the  old 
anchor's  there  for  him  to  see." 

"  To  divers  recovering  same,  and  placing  on 
deck,  two  pound  ten,"  continued  Tweedie,  raising 
his  voice.  "  Did  you  do  any  damage  going  into 
dock  at  Limerick?" 

"  More  than  we've  done  for  years,"  said  Fa- 
zackerly,  and  shaking  his  head,  entered  into  vol- 
uminous details;  "  total,  seven  pounds." 

"  Seven  pounds,"  said  the  exasperated  Tweedie. 
"  Seven  pounds  for  all  that,  and  your  insurance 
don't  begin  till  twenty-five  pounds.  Why,  damme, 
you  ain't  fit  to  be  trusted  out  with  a  ship.  I 
firmly  b'lieve  if  you  lost  her  you'd  send  in  a  bill 
for  a  suit  of  clothes,  and  call  it  square.  Now  take 
this  down,  and  larn  a  business  way  o'  doing  things. 
In  entering  dock,  carried  away  starboard  cathead 
and  started  starboard  chain  plates ;  held  survey 
of  damage  done :  decided  to  take  off  channel 
bends,  renew  through  bolts,  straighten  plates  and 
replace  same  ;  also  to  renew  cathead  and  caulk 
ship's  side  in  wake  of  plate,  six  seams,  etc.,  etc. 
There,  now,  that  looks  better.  Twenty-seven 
pounds  eighteen  and  sevenpence  halfpenny,  and 
I  think,  for  all  that  damage,  it's  a  very  reasonable 
bill.     Can  you  remember  anything  else  ?  " 

"You've   got  a  better  memory  than  I  have," 


THE  DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  137 

said  his  admiring  friend.     "  Wait  a  bit  though  ; 
yes,  I  had  my  poor  old  dog  washed  overboard." 

"  Dog!  "  said  the  deep-sea  man  ;  "  we  can't  put 
dogs  in  a  disbursement  sheet.     'Tain't  business." 

"  My  old  master  would  have  given  me  another 
one,  though,"  grumbled  Fazackerly.  "  I  wouldn't 
ha*  parted  with  that  dog  for  anything.  He  knew 
as  much  as  you  or  me,  that  dog  did.  I  never 
knew  him  to  bite  an  ofificer,  but  I  don't  think 
there  was  ever  a  man  came  on  the  ship  but  what 
he'd  have  a  bit  out  of,  sooner  or  later." 

"  Them  sort  of  dogs  do  get  washed  overboard," 
said  Tweedie  impatiently. 

"  Boys  he  couldn't  abear,"  pursued  the  other,  in 
tones  of  tender  reminiscence  ;  "  the  mere  sight  of 
a  boarding-school  of  'em  out  for  a  walk  would 
give  him  hydrophoby  almost." 

"  Just  so,"  said  Tweedie.  "  Ah  !  there's  cork 
fenders ;  ye  may  pick  them  up  floating  down  the 
river,  or  they  may  come  aboard  in  the  night  from 
a  craft  alongside  ;  they're  changeable  sort  o'  things, 
but  in  the  disbursement  sheet  they  must  go,  and 
best  quality  too,  four-and-sixpence  each.  Any 
thing  else  ?  " 

"  There's  the  dog,"  said  Fazackerly  persist- 
ently. 

"  Copper  nails,  tenpence,"  said  Tweedie  the  dic- 
tator. 

"  Haven't  bought  any  for  months,"  said  the 
other,  but  slowly  entering  it. 


138  MORE   CARGOES 


(( 


Well,  it  ain't  exactly  right,"  said  Tweedie, 
shrugging  his  shoulders,  "  but  you're  so  set  on  him 
going  in." 

"Him?  Who?"  asked  Captain  Fazackerly, 
staring. 

"  The  dog,"  said  Tweedie ;  "  if  he  goes  in  as 
copper  nails,  he  won't  be  noticed." 

"  If  he  goes  in  as  tenpence,  I'm  a  Dutchman," 
said  the  bereaved  owner,  scoring  out  the  copper 
nails.  "You  never  knew  that  dog  properly, 
Tweedie." 

"  Well,  never  mind  about  the  dog,"  said 
Tweedie ;  "  let's  cast  the  sheet.  What  do  you 
think  it  comes  to  ?  " 

"  'Bout  thirty  pun',"  hazarded  the  other. 

"  Thirty  fiddlesticks,"  retorted  Tweedie  ;  "there 
you  are  in  black  and  white — sixty-three  pounds 
eighteen  shillings  and  tenpence  ha'penny." 

"  And  is  that  what  Mas'r  Edward  wants  ?  "  in- 
quired Captain  Fazackerly  gasping. 

"  Yes  ;  that's  a  properly  drawn  up  disbursement 
sheet,"  said  Tweedie  in  satisfied  tones.  "  You  see 
how  it  simplifies  matters.  The  governor  can  see 
at  a  glance  how  things  stand,  while,  if  you  trusted 
to  your  memory,  you  might  forget  something,  or 
else  claim  something  you  didn't  have." 

"  I  ought  to  have  had  them  things  afore,"  said 
Captain  Fazackerly,  shaking  his  head  solemnly. 
*'  I'd  ha'  been  riding  in  my  carriage  by  now." 

"  Never  yc  dream  of  having  another  vy'gQ  with- 


THE   DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  I39 

out  one,"  said  Tweedie.  "  I  doubt  whether  it's 
lawful  to  render  an  account  without  one." 

He  folded  the  paper,  and  handed  it  to  his  friend, 
who,  after  inspecting  it  with  considerable  pride, 
tucked  it  carefully  away  in  his  breast  pocket. 

"  Take  it  up  in  the  morning,"  said  Tweedie. 
"  We'll  have  a  bit  o'  tea  down  here,  and  then  we'll 
go  round  a  bit  afterwards." 

Captain  Fazackerly  having  no  objection,  they 
had  tea  first,  and  then,  accompanied  by  the  first 
mate,  went  out  to  christen  the  disbursement  sheet. 
The  ceremony,  which  was  of  great  length,  was 
solemnly  impressive  towards  the  finish.  Captain 
Tweedie,  who  possessed  a  very  sensitive,  highly- 
strung  nature,  finding  it  necessary  to  put  a  licensed 
victualler  out  of  his  own  house  before  it  could  be 
completed  to  his  satisfaction. 

The  one  thing  which  Captain  Fazackerly  re- 
membered clearly  the  next  morning  when  he 
awoke  was  the  disbursement  sheet.  He  propped 
it  against  the  coffee-pot  during  breakfast,  and  read 
selections  to  his  admiring  mate,  and  after  a  refresh- 
ing toilet,  proceeded  to  the  office.  Simmons  was 
already  there,  and  before  the  skipper  could  get  to 
the  purpose  of  his  visit,  the  head  of  the  firm 
arrived. 

"  I've  just  brought  the  disbursement  sheet  you 
asked  for,  sir,"  said  the  skipper,  drawing  it  from 
his  pocket. 

"  Ah !  you've  got  it  then,"  said  the  new  gov- 


140  MORE   CARGOES 

ernor,  with  a  gracious  smile ;  "  you  see  it  wasn't 
so  much  trouble  after  all." 

"  I  don't  mind  the  trouble,  sir,"  interrupted 
Captain  Fazackerly. 

"  You  see  it  puts  things  on  a  better  footing," 
said  the  other,  "  I  can  see  at  a  glance  now  how 
things  stand,  and  Simmons  can  enter  the  items 
straight  away  into  the  books  of  the  firm.  It's 
more  satisfactory  to  both  of  us.  Sit  down, 
cap  n. 

The  captain  sat  down,  his  face  glowing  with 
this  satisfactory  recognition  of  his  work. 

"  I  met  Cap'n  Hargreaves  as  I  was  a-coming 
up,"  he  said ;  "  and  I  explained  to  him  your  ideas 
on  the  subject,  an'  he  went  straight  back,  as 
straight  as  he  could  go,  to  make  out  his  disburse- 
ment sheet." 

"  Ah !  we  shall  soon  have  things  on  a  better 
footing  now,"  said  the  governor,  unfolding  the 
paper,  while  the  skipper  gazed  abstractedly 
through  the  small,  dirty  panes  of  the  ofifice  win- 
dow at  the  bustle  on  the  quay  below. 

For  a  short  space  there  was  silence  in  the  ofifice, 
broken  only  by  the  half-audible  interjections  of 
the  reader.     Then  he  spoke. 

"  Simmons  !  "  he  said  sharply. 

The  old  clerk  slipped  from  his  stool,  and  obey- 
ing the  motions  of  his  employer,  inspected,  in 
great  astonishment,  the  first  disbursement  sheet 
which    had    ever    entered    the    ofifice.     He   read 


THE    DISBURSEMENT   SHEET  I4I 

through  every  item  in  an  astonished  whisper,  and, 
having  finished,  followed  the  governor's  example 
and  gazed  at  the  heavy  figure  by  the  window. 

"  Captain  Fazackerly,"  said  his  employer,  at 
length,  breaking  a  painful  silence. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  captain,  turning  his  head  a  little. 

"  I've  been  talking  with  Simmons  about  these 
disbursement  sheets,"  said  the  owner,  somewhat 
awkwardly ;  "  Simmons  is  afraid  they'll  give  him 
a  lot  of  extra  trouble." 

The  captain  turned  his  head  a  little  more,  and 
gazed  stolidly  at  the  astonished  Simmons. 

"  A  man  oughtn't  to  mind  a  little  extra  trouble 
if  the  firm  wishes  it,"  he  said,  somewhat  severely. 

"  He's  afraid  it  would  throw  his  books  out  a 
bit,"  continued  the  owner,  deftly  avoiding  the  gaze 
of  the  injured  clerk.  "You  see,  Simmons'  book- 
keeping is  of  the  old-fashioned  kind,  cap'n,  star- 
fishes and  all  that  kind  of  thing,"  he  continued, 
incoherently,  as  the  gaze  of  Simmons,  refusing  to 
be  longer  avoided,  broke  the  thread  of  his  dis- 
course. "  So  I  think  we'll  put  the  paper  on  the 
fire,  cap'n,  and  do  business  in  the  old  way.  Have 
you  got  the  money  with  you  ?  " 

"  I  have,  sir,"  said  Fazackerly,  feeling  in  his 
pocket,  as  he  mournfully  watched  his  last  night's 
work  blazing  up  the  chimney. 

"  Fire  away,  then,"  said  the  owner,  almost 
cordially. 

Captain  Fazackerly  advanced  to  the  table,  and 


142  MORE  CARGOES 

clearing  his  throat,  fixed  his  eyes  in  a  reflective 
stare  on  the  opposite  wall,  and  commenced : — 

"  Blown  away  fore  lower  topsail,  fore-staysail, 
and  carried  away  lifts  to  staysail.  To  sailmaker 
for  above,  eleven  pounds  eighteen  shillings  and 
tenpence,"  he  said,  with  relish.  "  Tug  out  to  the 
bar,  three  pounds.  To  twenty-eight  pounds  black 
soot,  I  mean  paint " 


RULE  OF  THREE 

The  long  summer  day  had  gone  and  twilight 
was  just  merging  into  night.  A  ray  of  light  from 
the  lantern  at  the  end  of  the  quay  went  trembling 
across  the  sea,  and  in  the  little  harbour  the  dusky 
shapes  of  a  few  small  craft  lay  motionless  on  the 
dark  water. 

The  master  of  the  schooner  Harebell  came 
slowly  towards  the  harbour,  accompanied  by  his 
mate.  Both  men  had  provided  ashore  for  a  voy- 
age which  included  no  intoxicants,  and  the  dignity 
of  the  skipper,  always  a  salient  feature,  had  de- 
veloped tremendously  under  the  influence  of 
brown  stout.  He  stepped  aboard  his  schooner 
importantly,  and  then,  turning  to  the  mate,  who 
was  about  to  follow,  suddenly  held  up  his  hand 
for  silence. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you  ?  "  he  inquired  severely  as 
the  mate  got  quietly  aboard. 

"  About  knocking  down  the  two  policemen  ?  " 
guessed  the  mate,  somewhat  puzzled. 

"  No,"  said  the  other  shortly.     "  Listen." 

The  mate  listened.  From  the  fo'c's'le  came  the 
low,  gruff  voices  of  men,  broken  by  the  silvery 
ripple  of  women's  laughter. 

143 


144  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Well,  I'm  a  Dutchman,"  said  the  mate  with 
the  air  of  one  who  felt  he  was  expected  to  say 
something. 

"  After  all  I  said  to  'em,"  said  the  skipper  with 
weary  dignity.  "  You  'eard  what  I  said  to  'em, 
Jack?" 

"  Nobody  could  ha'  swore  louder,"  testified  the 
mate. 

"  An'  here  they  are,"  said  the  skipper  in  amaze, 
"  defying  of  me.  After  all  I  said  to  'em.  After 
all  the  threats  I — I  employed." 

"  Employed,"  repeated  the  mate  with  relish. 

"  They've  been  and  gone  and  asked  them 
females  down  the  fo'c's'le  again.  You  know  what 
I  said  I'd  do,  Jack,  if  they  did." 

"  Said  you'd  eat  'em  without  salt,"  quoted  the 
other  helpfully. 

"  I'll  do  worse  than  that.  Jack,"  said  the  skipper 
after  a  moment's  discomfiture.  "  What's  to  hinder 
us  casting  off  quietly  and  taking  them  along  with 
us?" 

"  If  you  ask  me,"  said  the  mate,  "  I  should  say 
you  couldn't  please  the  crew  better." 

*'  Well,  we'll  see,"  said  the  other,  nodding 
sagely ;  "  don't  make  no  noise.  Jack." 

He  set  an  example  of  silence  himself,  and  aided 
by  the  mate,  cast  off  the  warps  which  held  his 
unconscious  visitors  to  their  native  town,  and  the 
wind  being  off  the  shore,  the  little  schooner  drifted 
silently  away  from  the  quay. 


RULE  OF  THREE  I45 

The  skipper  went  to  the  wheel,  and  the  noise  of 
the  mate  hauling  on  the  jib  brought  a  rough  head 
out  of  the  fo'c's'le,  the  owner  of  which,  after  a  cry 
to  his  mates  below,  sprang  up  on  deck  and  looked 
round  in  bewilderment. 

"  Stand  by,  there  !  "  cried  the  skipper  as  the 
others  came  rushing  on  deck.     "  Shake  'em  out." 

"  Beggin'  your  pardin',  sir,"  said  one  of  them 
with  more  politeness  in  his  tones  than  he  had  ever 
used  before,  "  but " 

"  Stand  by  !  "  said  the  skipper. 

"  Now  then  !  "  shouted  the  mate  sharply,  "  lively 
there  !     Lively  with  it  !  " 

The  men  looked  at  each  other  helplessly  and 
went  to  their  posts  as  a  scream  of  dismay  arose 
from  the  fair  beings  below  who,  having  just  begun 
to  realise  their  position,  were  coming  on  deck  to 
try  and  improve  it. 

"  What  !  "  roared  the  skipper  in  pretended  as- 
tonishment, "  what !  gells  aboard  after  all  I  said. 
It  can't  be  ;  I  must  be  dreaming  !  " 

"  Take  us  back  !  "  wailed  the  damsels,  ignoring 
the  sarcasm,  "  take  us  back,  captain." 

"  No,  I  can't  go  back,"  said  the  skipper.  "You 
see  what  comes  o'  disobedience,  my  gells.  Lively 
there  on  that  mains'l,  d'ye  hear  ?  " 

"  We  won't  do  it  again,"  cried  the  girls,  as  the 
schooner  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  harbour  and 
they   smelt    the    dark   sea   beyond.      "  Take   us 
back." 
10 


146  MORE   CARG  )ES 

"  It  can't  be  done,"  said  the  skipper  cheerfully. 

"  It's  agin  the  lor,  sir,"  said  Ephraim  Biddle 
solemnly. 

"  What !  Taking  my  own  ship  out  ?  "  said  the 
skipper  in  affected  surprise.  "  How  was  I  to  know 
they  were  there  ?  I'm  not  going  back ;  'tain't 
likely.  As  they've  made  their  beds  so  they  must 
lay  on  'em." 

"  They  ain't  got  no  beds,"  said  George  Scott 
hastily.  "  It  ain't  fair  to  punish  the  gals  for  us, 
sir." 

"  Hold  your  tongue,"  said  the  skipper  sharply. 

"  It's  agin  the  lor,  sir,"  said  Biddle  again.  "  If 
so  be  they're  passengers,  this  ship  ain't  licensed 
to  carry  passengers.  If  so  be  as  they're  took  out 
agin  their  will,  it's  abduction — I  see  the  other  day 
a  chap  had  seven  years  for  abducting  one  gal, 
three  sevens — three  sevens  is — three  sevens  is, 
well,  it's  more  years  than  you'd  like  to  be  in 
prison,  sir." 

"  Bosh,"  said  the  skipper,  "  they're  stowaways, 
an'  I  shall  put  'em  ashore  at  the  first  port  we 
touch  at — Plymouth." 

A  heartrending  series  of  screams  from  the  stow- 
aways rounded  his  sentence,  screams  which  gave 
way  to  sustained  sobbing,  as  the  schooner,  catch- 
ing the  wind,  began  to  move  through  the  water. 

"  You'd  better  get  below,  my  gals,"  said  Biddle, 
who  was  the  eldest  member  of  the  crew,  con- 
solingly. 


RULE   OF   THREE  147 

"  Why  don't  you  make  him  take  us  back  ? " 
said  Jenny  Evans,  the  biggest  of  the  three  girls, 
indignantly. 

"  'Cos  we  can't,  my  dear,"  said  Biddle  reluc- 
tantly ;  "  it's  agin  the  lor.  You  don't  want  to  see 
us  put  into  prison,  do  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  mind,"  said  Miss  Evans  tearfully,  "  so 
long  as  we  get  back.     George,  take  us  back." 

"  I  can't,"  said  Scott  sullenly. 

"  Well,  you  can  look  for  somebody  else,  then," 
said  Miss  Evans  with  temper.  "  You  won't  marry 
me.  How  much  would  you  get  if  you  did  make 
the  skipper  put  back  ?  " 

"Very  likely  six  months,"  said  Biddle  solemnly. 

"  Six  months  would  soon  pass  away,"  said  Miss 
Evans  briskly,  as  she  wiped  her  eye. 

"  It  would  be  a  rest,"  said  Miss  Williams  coax- 
ingly. 

The  men  not  seeing  things  in  quite  the  same 
light,  they  announced  their  intention  of  having 
nothing  more  to  do  with  them,  and  crowding  to- 
gether in  the  bows  beneath  two  or  three  blankets, 
condoled  tearfully  with  each  other  on  their 
misfortunes.  For  some  time  the  men  stood  by 
offering  clumsy  consolations,  but  tired  at  last  of 
repeated  rebuffs  and  insults  went  below  and  turned 
in,  leaving  the  satisfied  skipper  at  the  wheel. 

The  night  was  clear  and  the  wind  light.  As 
the  effects  of  his  libations  wore  off  the  skipper 
had  some  misgivings  as  to  the  wisdom  of  his  ac- 


148  MORE   CARGOES 

tion,  but  it  was  too  late  to  return,  and  he  resolved 
to  carry  on. 

Looking  at  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case  he 
thought  it  best  to  keep  the  wheel  in  his  own  hands 
for  a  time,  and  the  dawn  came  in  the  early  hours 
and  found  him  still  at  his  post. 

Objects  began  to  stand  out  clearly  in  the  grow- 
ing light,  and  three  dispirited  girls  put  their  heads 
out  from  the  blankets  and  sniffed  disdainfully  at 
the  sharp  morning  air.  Then  after  an  animated 
discussion  they  arose,  and  casting  their  blankets 
aside,  walked  up  to  the  skipper  and  eyed  him 
thoughtfully. 

"  As  easy  as  easy,"  said  Jenny  Evans  confidently, 
as  she  drew  herself  up  to  her  full  height,  and 
looked  down  at  the  indignant  man. 

"  Why,  he  isn't  any  bigger  than  a  boy,"  said 
Miss  Williams  savagely. 

"  Pity  we  didn't  think  of  it  before,"  said  Miss 
Davies.     "  I  s'pose  the  crew  won't  help  him  ?  " 

"  Not  they,"  said  Miss  Evans  scornfully.  "  If 
they  do,  we'll  serve  them  the  same." 

They  went  off,  leaving  the  skipper  a  prey  to 
gathering  uneasiness,  watching  their  movements 
with  wrinkled  brow.  From  the  forecastle  and  the 
galley  they  produced  two  mops  and  a  broom,  and 
he  caught  his  breath  sharply  as  Miss  Evans  came 
on  deck  with  a  pot  of  white  paint  in  one  hand  and 
a  pot  of  tar  in  the  other. 

"  Now,  girls,"  said  Miss  Evans. 


RULE   OF   THREE  149 

"  Put  those  things  down,"  said  the  skipper  in 
a  peremptory  voice. 

"Sha'n't,"  said  Miss  Evans  bluntly.  "You 
haven't  got  enough  on  yours,"  she  said,  turning 
to  Miss  Davies.  "  Don't  spoil  the  skipper  for 
a  ha'porth  of  tar." 

At  this  new  version  of  an  old  saw  they  laughed 
joyously,  and  with  mops  dripping  tar  and  paint  on 
the  deck,  marched  in  military  style  up  to  the 
skipper,  and  halted  in  front  of  him,  smiling 
wickedly. 

Then  the  heart  of  the  skipper  waxed  sore  faint 
within  him,  and,  with  a  wild  yell,  he  summoned 
the  trusty  crew  to  his  side. 

The  crew  came  on  deck  slowly,  and  casting 
furtive  glances  at  the  scene,  pushed  Ephraim 
Biddle  to  the  front. 

"  Take  those  mops  away  from  'em,"  said  the 
skipper  haughtily. 

"  Don't  you  interfere,"  said  Miss  Evans,  looking 
at  them  over  her  shoulder. 

"  Else  we'll  give  you  some,"  said  Miss  Williams 
bloodthirstily. 

"  Take  those  mops  away  from  *em  !  "  bawled  the 
skipper,  instinctively  drawing  back  as  Miss  Evans 
made  a  pass  at  him. 

"  I  don't  see  as  'ow  we  can  interfere,  sir,"  said 
Biddle  with  deep  respect. 

"  IV/mt  !  "  said  the  astonished  skipper. 

"  It  would  be  agin  the  lor  for  us  to  interfere  with 


150  MORE   CARGOES 

people,"  said  Biddle,  turning  to  his  mates,  "dead 
agin  the  lor." 

"  Don't  you  talk  rubbish,"  said  the  skipper 
anxiously.  "  Take  'em  away  from  'em.  It's  my 
tar  and  my  paint,  and " 

"  You  shall  have  it,"  said  Miss  Evans  reassur- 
ingly. 

"  If  we  touched  'em,"  said  Biddle  impressively, 
"  it'd  be  an  assault  at  lor.  'Sides  which,  they'd 
probably  muss  us  up  with  'em  All  we  can  do, 
sir,  is  to  stand  by  and  see  fair  play." 

"  Fair  play  !  "  cried  the  skipper  dancing  with 
rage,  and  turning  hastily  to  the  mate,  who  had 
just  come  on  the  scene.  "  Take  those  things  away 
from  'em,  Jack." 

"  Well,  if  it's  all  the  same  to  you,"  said  the 
mate,  "  I'd  rather  not  be  drawn  into  it." 

"  But  I'd  rather  you  were,"  said  the  skipper 
sharply.     "  Take  'em  away." 

"  How?"  inquired  the  mate  pertinently. 

"  I  order  you  to  take  'em  away,"  said  the  skipper. 
"  How,  is  your  affair." 

"  I'm  not  goin'  to  raise  my  hand  against  a 
woman  for  anybody,"  said  the  mate  with  decision. 
"  It's  no  part  o'  my  work  to  get  messed  up  with 
tar  an'  paint  from  lady  passengers." 

"  It's  part  of  your  work  to  obey  me,  though," 
said  the  skipper,  raising  his  voice  ;  "  all  of  you. 
There's  five  of  you,  with  the  mate,  and  only  three 
gells.     What  are  you  afraid  of  ?  " 


RULE   OF  THREE  151 

"  Are  you  going  to  take  us  back  ?  "  demanded 
Jenny  Evans. 

"  Run  away,"  said  the  skipper  with  dignity. 
"  Run  away." 

"  I  shall  ask  you  three  times,"  said  Miss  Evans 
sternly.  "  One — are  you  going  back  ?  Two — • 
are  you  going  back  ?     Three " 

In  the  midst  of  a  breathless  silence  she  drew 
within  striking  distance,  while  her  allies  taking 
up  a  position  on  either  flank  of  the  enemy, 
listened  attentively  to  the  instructions  of  their 
leader. 

"  Be  careful  he  doesn't  catch  hold  of  the  mops," 
said  Miss  Evans,  "  but  if  he  does  the  others  are  to 
hit  him  over  the  head  with  the  handles.  Never 
mind  about  hurting  him." 

"  Take  this  wheel  a  minnit.  Jack,"  said  the 
skipper,  pale  but  determined. 

The  mate  came  forward  and  took  it  unwillingly, 
and  the  skipper,  trying  hard  to  conceal  his  trepida- 
tion, walked  towards  Miss  Evans  and  tried  to  quell 
her  with  his  eye.  The  power  of  the  human  eye  is 
notorious,  and  Miss  Evans  showed  her  sense  of  the 
danger  she  ran  by  making  an  energetic  attempt  to 
close  the  skipper's  with  her  mop,  causing  him  to 
duck  with  amazing  nimbleness.  At  the  same 
moment  another  mop  loaded  with  white  paint  was 
pushed  into  the  back  of  his  neck.  He  turned 
with  a  cry  of  rage,  and  then  realising  the  odds 
against  him  flung  his  dignity  to  the  winds  and 


152  MORE   CARGOES 

dodged  with  the  agility  of  a  schoolboy.  Through 
the  galley  and  round  i:he  masts  with  the  avenging 
mops  in  mad  pursuit,  until  breathless  and  ex- 
hausted he  suddenly  sprang  on  to  the  side  and 
climbed  frantically  into  the  rigging. 

"  Coward  !  "  said  Miss  Evans,  shaking  her  weapon 
at  him. 

"  Come  down,"  cried  Miss  Williams.  "  Come 
down  like  a  man." 

"  It's  no  good  wasting  time  over  Jiimy  said  Miss 
Evans,  after  another  vain  appeal  to  the  skipper's 
manhood.  "  He's  escaped.  Get  some  more  stuff 
on  your  mops." 

The  mate,  who  had  been  laughing  boisterously, 
checked  himself  suddenly,  and  assumed  a  gravity 
of  demeanour  more  in  accordance  with  his 
position.  The  mops  were  dipped  in  solemn 
silence,  and  Miss  Evans  approaching  regarded 
him  significantly. 

"  Now,  my  dears,"  said  the  mate,  waving  his 
hand  with  a  deprecating  gesture,  "  don't  be  silly." 

"  Don't  be  xvJiat  ?  "  inquired  the  sensitive  Miss 
Evans  raising  her  mop. 

"  You  know  what  I  mean,"  said  the  mate 
hastily.     "  I  can't  help  myself." 

"  Well,  we're  going  to  help  you,"  said  Miss 
Evans.     "Turn  the  ship  round." 

"  You  obey  orders,  Jack,"  cried  the  skipper 
from  aloft. 

"  It's   all   very   well  for   you    sitting  up   there 


RULE   OF   THREE  153 

in  peace  and  comfort,"  said  the  mate  indignantly. 
"  I'm  not  going  to  be  tarred  to  please  you. 
Come  down  and  take  charge  of  your  ship." 

"  Do  your  duty,  Jack,"  said  the  skipper,  who 
was  polishing  his  face  with  a  handkerchief. 
"  They  won't  touch  you.  They  daren't.  They're 
afraid  to." 

"  You're  egging  'em  on,"  cried  the  mate  wrath- 
fully.     "  I  won't  steer  ;  come  and  take  it  yourself." 

He  darted  behind  the  wheel  as  Miss  Evans,  who 
was  getting  impatient,  made  a  thrust  at  him,  and 
then,  springing  out,  gained  the  side  and  rushed  up 
the  rigging  after  his  captain.  Biddle,  who  was 
standing  close  by,  gazed  earnestly  at  them  and 
took  the  wheel. 

"You  won't  hurt  old  Biddle,  I  know,"  he  said, 
trying  to  speak  confidently. 

"  Of  course  not,"  said  Miss  Evans  emphatically. 

"  Tar  don't  hurt,"  explained  Miss  Williams. 

"  It's  good  for  you,"  said  the  third  lady  posi- 
tively.    "  One — two " 

"  It's  no  good,"  said  the  mate  as  Ephraim  came 

suddenly  into  the  rigging;  "you'll  have  to  give 

•    >» 
m. 

«  I'm if  I  will,"  said  the  infuriated  skipper. 

Then  an  idea  occurred  to  him,  and  puckering  his 
face  shrewdly  he  began  to  descend. 

''All  right,"  he  said  shortly,  as  Miss  Evans 
advanced  to  receive  him.     "  I'll  go  back." 

He  took  the  wheel ;  the  schooner  came  round 


154  MORE   CARGOES 

before  the  wind,  and  the  willing  crew,  letting  the 
sheets  go,  hauled  them  in  again  on  the  port  side. 

"  And  now,  my  lads,"  said  the  skipper  with  a 
benevolent  smile,  "  just  clear  that  mess  up  off  the 
decks,  and  you  may  as  well  pitch  them  mops 
overboard.     They'll  never  be  any  good  again." 

He  spoke  carelessly,  albeit  his  voice  trembled  a 
little,  but  his  heart  sank  within  him  as  Miss 
Evans,  with  a  horrible  contortion  of  her  pretty 
face,  intended  for  a  wink,  waved  them  back. 

"  You  stay  where  you  are,"  she  said  imperiously  ; 
"  we'll  throw  them  overboard — when  we've  done 
with  them.     What  did  you  say.  Captain  ?  " 

The  skipper  was  about  to  repeat  it  with  great 
readiness  when  Miss  Evans  raised  her  trusty  mop. 
The  words  died  away  on  his  lips,  and  after  a 
hopeless  glance  from  his  mate  to  the  crew  and 
from  the  crew  to  the  rigging,  he  accepted  his 
defeat,  and  in  grim  silence  took  them  home  again. 


PICKLED    HERRING 

There  was  a  sudden  uproar  on  deck,  and  angry 
shouts  accompanied  by  an  incessant  barking  ;  the 
master  of  the  brig  ArctJnisa  stopped  with  his 
knife  midway  to  his  mouth,  and  exchanging 
glances  with  the  mate,  put  it  down  and  rose  to 
his  feet. 

"  They're  chevying  that  poor  animal  again,"  he 
said  hotly.     "  It's  scandalous." 

"  Rupert  can  take  care  of  himself,"  said  the 
mate  calmly,  continuing  his  meal.  "  I  expect,  if 
the  truth's  known,  it's  him's  been  doin'  the 
chevying." 

"  You're  as  bad  as  the  rest  of  'em,"  said  the 
skipper  angrily,  as  a  large  brown  retriever  came 
bounding  into  the  cabin.  "  Poor  old  Rube  !  what 
have  they  been  doin'  to  you?" 

The  dog,  with  a  satisfied  air,  sat  down  panting 
by  his  chair,  listening  quietly  to  the  subdued  hub- 
bub which  sounded  from  the  companion. 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?  "  roared  the  skipper,  patting 
his  favourite's  head. 

''  It's  that  blasted  dawg,  sir,"  cried  an  angry 
voice  from  above.  "  Go  down  and  show  'im  your 
leg,  Joe." 

155 


156  MORE   CARGOES 

"  An"ave  another  lump  took  out  of  it,  I  s'pose," 
said  another  voice  sourly.     "  Not  me." 

"  I  don't  want  to  look  at  no  legs  while  I'm  at 
dinner,"  cried  the  skipper.  "  O'  course  the  dog'U 
bite  you  if  you've  been  teasing  him." 

"  There's  nobody  been  teasing  'im,"  said  the 
angry  voice  again.  "  That's  the  second  one  'e's 
bit,  and  now  Joe's  goin'  to  have  'im  killed — ain't 
you,  Joe?" 

Joe's  reply  was  not  audible,  although  the  in- 
furiated skipper  was  straining  his  ears  to  catch 
it. 

"  Who's  going  to  have  the  dog  killed  ?  "  he  de- 
manded, going  up  on  deck,  while  Rupert,  who 
evidently  thought  he  had  an  interest  in  the  pro- 
ceedings, followed  unobtrusively  behind. 

"  I  am,  sir,"  said  Joe  Bates,  who  was  sitting  on 
the  hatch  while  the  cook  bathed  an  ugly  wound 
in  his  leg.  "  A  dog's  only  allowed  one  bite,  and 
he's  'ad  two  this  week." 

"  He  bit  me  on  Monday,"  said  the  seaman  who 
had  spoken  before.     "  Now  he's  done  for  hisself." 

"  Hold  your  tongue  !  "  said  the  skipper  angrily. 
"  You  think  you  know  a  lot  about  the  law,  Sam 
Clark ;  let  me  tell  you  a  dog's  entitled  to  have  as 
many  bites  as  ever  he  likes,  so  as  he  don't  bite  the 
same  person  twice." 

"  That  ain't  the  way  I've  'eard  it  put  afore," 
said  Clark,  somewhat  taken  back. 

"  He's    the   cutest    dog    breathing,"   said    the 


PICKLED    HERRING  1 57 

skipper  fondly,  "  and  he  knows  all  about  it.     He 
won't  bite  either  of  you  again." 

"  And  wot  about  them  as  'asn't  been  bit  yet, 
sir?"  inquired  the  cook. 

"  Don't  halloo  before  you're  hurt,"  advised  the 
skipper.  "  If  you  don't  tease  him  he  won't  bite 
you." 

He  went  down  to  his  dinner,  followed  by  the 
sagacious  Rupert,  leaving  the  hands  to  go  forward 
again,  and  to  mutinously  discuss  a  situation  which 
was  becoming  unbearable. 

"  It  can't  go  on  no  longer,  Joe,"  said  Clark 
firmly  ;  "  this  settles  it." 

"  Where  is  the  stuff  ?  "  inquired  the  cook  in  a 
whisper. 

"  In  my  chest,"  said  Clark  softly.  "  I  bought  it 
the  night  he  bit  me." 

"  It's  a  risky  thing  to  do,"  said  Bates. 

"'Ow  risky?"  asked  Sam  scornfully.  "The 
dog  eats  the  stuff  and  dies.  Who's  going  to  say 
what  he  died  of  ?  As  for  suspicions,  let  the  old 
man  suspect  as  much  as  he  likes.     It  ain't  proof." 

The  stronger  mind  had  its  way,  as  usual,  and 
the  next  day  the  skipper,  coming  quietly  on  deck, 
was  just  in  time  to  see  Joe  Bates  throw  down 
a  fine  fat  bloater  in  front  of  the  now  amiable 
Rupert.  He  covered  the  distance  between  him- 
self and  the  dog  in  three  bounds,  and  seizing  it  by 
the  neck,  tore  the  fish  from  its  eager  jaws  and 
held  it  aloft. 


158  MORE  CARGOES 

"  I  just  caught  'im  in  the  act !  "  he  cried,  as  the 
mate  came  on  deck.  "  What  did  you  give  that  to 
my  dog  for  ? "  he  inquired  of  the  conscience- 
stricken  Bates. 

"  I  wanted  to  make  friends  with  him,"  stam- 
mered the  other. 

"  It's  poisoned,  you  rascal,  and  you  know  it," 
said  the  skipper  vehemently. 

"  Wish  I  may  die,  sir,"  began  Joe. 

"  That'll  do,"  said  the  skipper  harshly.  "  You've 
tried  to  poison  my  dog." 

"  I  ain't,"  said  Joe  firmly. 

"  You  ain't  been  trying  to  kill  'im  with  a  poi' 
soned  bloater?"  demanded  the  skipper. 

"  Certainly  not,  sir,"  said  Joe.  "  I  wouldn't  do 
such  a  thing.     I  couldn't  if  I  tried." 

"  Very  good  then,"  said  the  skipper ;  "  if  it's  all 
right  you  eat  it,  and  I'll  beg  your  pardon." 

"  I  ain't  goin'  to  eat  after  a  dog,"  said  Joe, 
shuffling. 

"  The  dog's  as  clean  as  you  are,"  said  the  skip- 
per.    "  I'd  sooner  eat  after  him  than  you." 

"  Well,  you  eat  it  then,  sir,"  said  Bates  des- 
perately. "  If  it's  poisoned  you'll  die,  and  I'll  be 
'ung  for  it.  I  can't  say  no  fairer  than  that,  can 
I?" 

There  was  a  slight  murmur  from  the  men,  who 
stood  by  watching  the  skipper  with  an  air  of  un- 
holy expectancy. 

"  Well,  the  boy  shall  eat  it  then,"  said  the  skip- 


PICKLED    HERRING  1 59 

per.  "  Eat  that  bloater,  boy,  and  I'll  give  you 
sixpence." 

The  boy  came  forward  slowly,  and  looking  from 
the  men  to  the  skipper,  and  from  the  skipper  back 
to  the  men,  began  to  whimper. 

"  If  you  think  it's  poisoned,"  interrupted  the 
mate,  "  you  oughtn't  to  make  the  boy  eat  it.  I  don't 
like  boys,  but  you  must  draw  the  line  somewhere." 

"  It's  poisoned,"  said  the  skipper,  shaking  it  at 
Bates,  "and  they  know  it.  Well,  I'll  keep  it  till 
we  get  to  port,  and  then  I'll  have  it  analysed. 
And  it'll  be  a  sorry  day  for  you.  Bates,  when  I 
hear  it's  poisoned.  A  month's  hard  labour  is  what 
you'll  get." 

He  turned  away  and  went  below  with  as  much 
dignity  as  could  be  expected  of  a  man  carrying  a 
mangled  herring,  and  placing  it  on  a  clean  plate, 
solemnly  locked  it  up  in  his  state-room. 

For  two  days  the  crew  heard  no  more  about  it, 
though  the  skipper's  eyes  gleamed  dangerously 
each  time  that  they  fell  upon  the  shrinking  Bates. 
The  weather  was  almost  tropical,  with  not  an  air 
stirring,  and  the  Areihusa,  bearing  its  dread  secret 
still  locked  in  its  state-room,  rose  and  fell  upon  a 
sea  of  glassy  smoothness  without  making  any 
progress  worth  recording. 

"  I  wish  you'd  keep  that  thing  in  your  berth, 
George,"  said  the  skipper,  as  they  sat  at  tea  the 
second  evening ;  "  it  puts  me  in  a  passion  every 
time  I  look  at  it." 


l60  MORE  CARGOES 

"  I  couldn't  think  of  it,  cap'n,"  replied  the  mate 
firmly ;  "  it  makes  me  angry  enough  as  it  is. 
Every  time  I  think  of  'em  trying  to  poison  that 
poor  dumb  creature  I  sort  o'  choke.  I  try  to  for- 
get it." 

The  skipper,  eyeing  him  furtively,  helped  him- 
self to  another  cup  of  tea. 

"  You  haven't  got  a  tin  box  with  a  lid  to  it,  I 
s'pose  ?  "  he  remarked  somewhat  shamefacedly. 

The  mate  shook  his  head.  "  I  looked  for  one 
this  morning,"  he  said.  "  There  ain't  so  much  as 
a  bottle  aboard  we  could  shove  it  into,  and  it 
wants  shoving  into  something — bad,  it  does." 

"  I  don't  like  to  be  beat,"  said  the  skipper,  shak- 
ing his  head.  "  All  them  grinning  monkeys 
for'ard  'ud  think  it  a  rare  good  joke.  I'd  throw 
it  overboard  if  it  wasn't  for  that.  We  can't  keep 
it  this  weather." 

"  Well,  look  'ere ;  'ere's  a  way  out  of  it,"  said 
the  mate.  "  Call  Joe  down,  and  make  him  keep 
it  in  the  fo'c's'le  and  take  care  of  it." 

"  Why,  you  idiot,  he'd  lose  it !  "  rapped  out  the 
other  impatiently. 

"  O'  course  he  would,"  said  the  mate ;  "  but 
that's  the  most  dignerified  way  out  of  it  for  you. 
You  can  call  'im  all  sorts  of  things,  and  abuse  'im 
for  the  rest  of  his  life.  They'll  prove  themselves 
guilty  by  chucking  it  away,  won't  they  ?  " 

It  really  seemed  the  only  thing  to  be  done.  The 
skipper  finished  his  tea  in  silence,  and  then  going 


PICKLED    HERRING  l6l 

on  deck  called  the  crew  aft  and  apprised  them  of 
his  intentions,  threatening  them  with  all  sorts  of 
pains  and  penalties  if  the  treasure  about  to  be 
confided  to  their  keeping  should  be  lost.  The 
cook  was  sent  below  for  it,  and,  at  the  skipper's 
bidding,  handed  it  to  the  grinning  Joe. 

"And  mind,"  said  the  skipper  as  he  turned 
away,  "  I  leave  it  in  your  keepin',  and  if  it's  miss- 
ing I  shall  understand  that  you've  made  away 
with  it,  and  I  shall  take  it  as  a  sign  of  guilt,  and 
act  according." 

The  end  came  sooner  even  than  he  expected. 
They  were  at  breakfast  next  morning  when  Joe, 
looking  somewhat  pale,  came  down  to  the  cabin, 
followed  by  Clark,  bearing  before  him  an  empty 
plate. 

"  Well  ?  "  said  the  skipper  fiercely. 

"  It's  about  the  'erring,  sir,"  said  Joe,  twisting 
his  cap  between  his  hands. 

"  Well  ?  "  roared  the  skipper  again. 

"  It's  gone,  sir,"  said  Joe,  in  bereaved  accents. 

"  You  mean  you've  thrown  it  away,  you  infernal 
rascal !  "  bellowed  the  skipper. 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Joe. 

"  Ah !  I  s'pose  it  walked  up  on  deck  and 
jumped  overboard,"  said  the  mate. 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Joe  softly.  "  The  dog  ate  it, 
sir." 

The  skipper  swung  round   in  his  seat  and  re- 
garded him  open-mouthed. 
II 


l62  MORE   CARGOES 

"  The — dog — ate — it  ?  "  he  repeated. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  Clark  saw  'im  do  it — didn't  you, 
Clark?" 

"  I  did,"  said  Clark  promptly.  He  had  made 
his  position  doubly  sure  by  throwing  it  over- 
board himself. 

"  It  comes  to  the  same  thing,  sir,"  said  Joe 
sanctimoniously;  "my  innercence  is  proved  just 
the  same.  You'll  find  the  dog  won't  take  no  'urt 
through  it,  sir.     You  watch  'im." 

The  skipper  breathed  hard,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  If  you  don't  believe  me,  sir,  p'r'aps  you'd  like 
to  see  the  plate  where 'e  licked  it?  "said  Joe. 
"  Give  me  the  plate,  Sam." 

He  turned  to  take  it,  but  in  place  of  handing  it 
to  him  that  useful  witness  dropped  it  and  made 
hurriedly  for  the  companion-ladder,  and  by  stren- 
uous efforts  reached  the  deck  before  Joe,  although 
that  veracious  gentleman,  assisted  from  below  by 
strong  and  willing  arms,  made  a  good  second. 


TWO  OF  A  TRADE 

E's  a  nero,  that's  wot  'e  is,  sir,"  said  the  cook, 
as  he  emptied  a  boiler  of  dirty  water  overboard. 

"  A  what  ?  "  said  the  skipper. 

"  A  nero,"  said  the  cook,  speaking  very  slowly 
and  distinctly,  "  A  nero  in  real  life,  a  chap  wot, 
speaking  for  all  for'ard,  we're  proud  to  have 
aboard  along  with  us." 

"  I  didn't  know  he  was  much  of  a  swimmer," 
said  the  skipper,  glancing  curiously  at  a  clumsily- 
built  man  of  middle  age,  who  sat  on  the  hatch 
glancing  despondently  at  the  side. 

"  No  more  'e  ain't,"  said  the  cook,  "an'  that's 
what  makes  'im  more  'eroish  still  in  my  own 
opinion." 

''Did  he  take  his  clothes  off?"  inquired  the 
mate. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  the  delighted  cook ; 
"  not  a  pair  of  trowsis,  nor  even  'is  'at,  which  was 
sunk." 

"  You're  a  liar,  cook,"  said  the  hero,  looking  up 
for  a  moment. 

"  You  didn't  take  your  trowsis  off,  George  ? " 
said  the  cook  anxiously. 

"  I  chucked  my  'at  on  the  pavement,"  growled 

George,  without  looking  up. 

163 


164  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Well,  anyway,  you  went  over  the  embankment 
after  that  pore  girl  like  a  Briton,  didn't  you?" 
said  the  other. 

There  was  no  reply. 

"  Didn't  you  ?  "  said  the  cook  appealingly. 

"  Did  you  expect  me  to  go  over  like  a  Dutch- 
man, or  wot?"  demanded  George  fiercely. 

"  That's  'is  modesty,"  said  the  cook,  turning  to 
the  others  with  the  air  of  a  showman.  "  'E  can't 
bear  us  to  talk  about  it.  Nearly  drownded  'e 
was.  All  but,  and  a  barge  came  along  and  shoved 
a  boat-hook  right  through  the  seat  of  his  trowsis 
an'  saved  'im.  Stand  up  an'  show  'em  your 
trowsis,  George." 

"  If  I  do  stand  up,"  said  George,  in  a  voice 
broken  with  rage,  "it'll  be  a  bad  day  for  you,  my 
lad." 

''Ami  he  modest  ?  "  said  the  cook.  "  Don't  it 
do  you  good  to  'ear  'im.  He  was  just  like  that 
when  they  got  him  ashore  and  the  crowd  started 
patting  him." 

"  Didn't  like  it?"  queried  the  mate. 

"  Well,  they  overdid  it  a  little,  p'r'aps,"  admit- 
ted the  cook  ;  "  one  old  chap  wot  couldn't  get  near 
patted  'is  'ead  with  'is  stick,  but  it  was  all  meant 
in  the  way  of  kindness." 

"  I'm  proud  of  you,  George,"  said  the  skipper 
heartily. 

"  We  all  are,"  said  the  mate. 

George  grunted. 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  165 

"  I'll  write  for  the  medal  for  him,"  said  the 
skipper.     "  Were  there  any  witnesses,  cook  ?  " 

"  Heaps  of  'em,"  said  the  other ;  "  but  I  gave 
'em  'is  name  and  address.  *  Schooner  y^f/^;z  Henry, 
of  Limehouse,  is  'is  home,'  I  ses,  and  George 
Cooper  'is  name 

"  You  talked  a  damned  sight  too  much," 
said  the  hero,  "  you  lean,  lop-sided  son  of  a 
tinker." 

"  There  s  'is  modesty  ag'in,^  said  the  cook,  with 
a  knowing  smile.  "  'E's  busting  with  modesty,  is 
George.  You  should  ha'  seen  'im  when  a  chap 
took  'is  fortygraph." 

"  Took  his  what  ?  "  said  the  skipper,  becoming 
interested. 

"  His  fortygraph,"  said  the  cook.  "  'E  was  a 
young  chap  what  was  taking  views  for  a  noose- 
paper.  'E  took  George  drippin'  wet  just  as  'e 
come  out  of  the  water,  'e  took  him  arter  'e  'ad  'is 
face  wiped,  an'  'e  took  'im  when  'e  was  sitting  up 
swearing  at  a  man  wot  asked  'im  whether  'e  was 
very  wet." 

"An'  you  told  'im  where  I  lived,  and  what  I 
was,"  said  George,  turning  on  him  and  shaking  his 
f^st.     "  You  did." 

"  I  did,"  said  the  cook  simply.  "  You'll  live  to 
thank  me  for  it,  George." 

The  other  gave  a  dreadful  howl,  and  rising  from 
the  deck,  walked  forward  and  went  below,  giving 
a  brother  seaman  who  patted  his  shoulder  as  he 


l66  MORE  CARGOES 

passed  a  blow  in  the  ribs,  which  nearly  broke  them. 
Those  on  deck  exchanged  glances. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  the  mate,  shrugging 
his  shoulders ;  "  seems  to  me  if  I'd  saved  a  fel- 
low-critter's life  I  shouldn't  mind  hearing  about 
It. 

"  That's  what  you  think,"  said  the  skipper, 
drawing  himself  up  a  little.  "  If  ever  you  do  do 
anything  of  the  kind  perhaps  you'll  feel  different 
about  it." 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  how  you  should  know  any 
more  than  me,"  said  the  other. 

The  skipper  cleared  his  throat. 

"  There  have  been  one  or  two  little  things  in  my 
life  which  I'm  not  exactly  ashamed  of,"  he  said 
modestly. 

"That  ain't  much  to  boast  of,"  said  the  mate, 
wilfully  misunderstanding  him. 

"  I  mean,"  said  the  skipper  sharply,  "  one  or  two 
things  which  some  people  might  have  been  proud 
of.  But  I'm  proud  to  say  that  there  isn't  a  living 
soul  knows  of  'em." 

"  I  can  quite  believe  that,"  assented  the  mate,  and 
walked  off  with  an  irritating  smile. 

The  skipper  was  about  to  follow  him,  to  com- 
plain  of  the  needless  ambiguity  of  his  remarks, 
when  he  was  arrested  by  a  disturbance  from  the 
fo'c'sle.  In  response  to  the  cordial  invitation  of 
the  cook,  the  mate  and  one  of  the  hands  from  the 
brig    Endeavour,    moored    alongside,    had    come 


TWO    OF  A   TRADE  1 6/ 

aboard  and  gone  below  to  look  at  George.  The 
manner  in  which  they  were  received  was  a  slur 
upon  the  hospitality  of  the  JoJin  Henry  ;  and  they 
came  up  hurriedly,  declaring  that  they  never 
wanted  to  see  him  again  as  long  as  they  lived,  and 
shouting  offensive  remarks  behind  them  as  they 
got  over  the  side  of  their  own  vessel. 

The  skipper  walked  slowly  to  the  fo'c'sle  and 
put  his  head  down. 

"  George,"  he  shouted. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  hero  gruffly. 

"  Come  down  into  the  cabin,"  said  the  other, 
turning  away.  "  I  want  to  have  a  little  talk  with 
you. 

George  rose,  and,  first  uttering  some  terrible 
threats  against  the  cook,  who  bore  them  with 
noble  fortitude,  went  on  deck  and  followed  the 
skipper  to  the  cabin. 

At  his  superior's  request  he  took  a  seat  on  the 
locker,  awkwardly  enough,  but  smiled  faintly  as 
the  skipper  produced  a  bottle  and  a  couple  of 
glasses. 

"  Your  health,  George,"  said  the  skipper,  as  he 
pushed  a  glass  towards  him  and  raised  his  own. 

"  My  bes'  respec's,  sir,"  said  George,  allowing 
the  liquor  to  roll  slowly  round  his  mouth  before 
swallowing  it.  He  sighed  heavily,  and,  putting  his 
empty  glass  on  the  table,  allowed  his  huge  head  to 
roll  on  his  chest. 

"  Saving    life   don't    seem,  to  agree   with   you. 


l68  MORE   CARGOES 

George,"  said  the  skipper.  "  I  like  modesty,  but 
you  seem  to  me  to  carry  it  a  trifle  too  far." 

"  It  ain't  modesty,  sir,"  said  George ;  "  it's  that 
fortygraph.  When  I  think  o'  that  I  go  'ot  all 
over." 

"  I  shouldn't  let  that  worry  me  if  I  was  you, 
George,"  said  the  other  kindly.  "  Looks  ain't 
everything." 

"  I  didn't  mean  it  that  way,"  said  George  very 
sourly.  "  My  looks  is  good  enough  for  me.  In 
fact,  it  is  a  partly  owing  to  my  looks,  so  to  speak, 
that  I'm  in  a  mess." 

"  A  little  more  rum,  George  ?  "  said  the  skipper, 
whose  curiosity  was  roused.  "  I  don't  want  to 
know  your  business,  far  from  it.  But  in  my 
position  as  cap'n,  if  any  of  my  crew  gets  in 
a  mess  I  consider  it's  my  duty  to  lend  them  a 
hand  out  of  it,  if  I  can." 

"  The  world  'ud  be  a  better  place  if  there  was 
more  like  you,"  said  George,  waxing  sentimental 
as  he  sniffed  delicately  at  the  fragrant  beverage. 
"  If  that  noosepaper,  with  them  pictures,  gets  into 
a  certain  party's  'ands,  I'm  ruined." 

"  Not  if  I  can  help  it,  George,"  said  the 
skipper  with  great  firmness.  "  How  do  you  mean 
ruined  ?  " 

The  seaman  set  his  glass  down  on  the  little 
table,  and,  leaning  over,  formed  a  word  with  his 
lips,  and  then  drew  back  slowly  and  watched  the 
effect. 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  1 69 

"  What  ?  "  said  the  skipper. 

The  other  repeated  the  performance,  but  beyond 
seeing  that  some  word  of  three  syllables  was 
indicated  the  skipper  obtained  no  information. 

"  You  can  speak  a  little  louder,"  he  said,  some- 
what crustily. 

"  Bigamy !  "  said  George,  breathing  the  word 
solemnly. 

"  You  ?  "  said  the  skipper. 

George  nodded.  "  And  if  my  first  only  gets 
hold  of  that  paper,  and  sees  my  phiz  and  reads 
my  name,  I'm  done  for.  There's  my  reward  for 
saving  a  fellow-critter's  life.     Seven  years." 

"  I'm  surprised  at  you,  George,"  said  the 
skipper  sternly.  "  Such  a  good  wife  as  you've 
got  too." 

"  I  ain't  saying  nothing  agin  number  two," 
grumbled  George.  "  It's  number  one  that  didn't 
suit.  I  left  her  eight  years  ago.  She  was  a  bad 
'un.  I  took  a  y'y'gc  to  Australia  furst,  just  to  put 
her  out  o'  my  mind  a  bit,  an'  I  never  seed  her 
since.  Where  am  I  if  she  sees  all  about  me  in  the 
paper  !  " 

"  Is  she  what  you'd  call  a  vindictive  woman  ?  " 
inquired  the  other.     "  Nasty-tempered,  I  mean." 

"  Nasty-tempered,"  echoed  the  husband  of  two. 
"  If  that  woman  could  only  have  me  put  in  jail 
she'd  stand  on  'er  'ead  for  joy." 

"Well,  I'll  do  what  I  can  for  you  if  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst,"  said  the   skipper.      You'd 


I/O  MORE   CARGOES 

better  not  say  anything  about  this  to  anybody 
else." 

"  Not  me,"  said  George  fervently,  as  he  rose, 
"  an'  o'  course  you " 

"  You  can  rely  on  me,"  said  the  skipper  in  his 
most  stately  fashion. 

He  thought  of  the  seaman's  confidence  several 
times  during  the  evening,  and,  being  somewhat 
uncertain  of  the  law  as  to  bigamy,  sought  informa- 
tion from  the  master  of  the  Endeavour  as  they  sat 
in  the  latter's  cabin  at  a  quiet  game  of  cribbage. 
By  virtue  of  several  appearances  in  the  law  courts 
with  regard  to  collisions  and  spoilt  cargoes  this 
gentleman  had  obtained  a  knowledge  of  law  which 
made  him  a  recognized  authority  from  London 
Bridge  to  the  Nore. 

It  was  a  delicate  matter  for  the  master  of  the 
John  Henry  to  broach,  and,  with  the  laudable  de- 
sire of  keeping  the  hero's  secret,  he  approached  it 
by  a  most  circuitous  route.  He  began  with  a 
burglary,  followed  with  an  attempted  murder,  and 
finally  got  on  the  subject  of  bigamy,  via  the 
"  Deceased  Wife's  Sister  Bill." 

"  What  sort  o'  bigamy  ?  "  inquired  the  master 
of  the  brig. 

"  Oh,  two  wives,"  said  Captain  Thomsett. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  the  other,  "  but  are  there  any 
mitigating  circumstances  in  the  case,  so  that  you 
could  throw  yourself  on  the  mercy  o'  the  court,  1 
mean  ?  " 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  I71 

"  My  case  !  "  said  Thomsett,  glaring.  "  It  ain't 
for  me." 

"  Oh,  no,  o'  course  not,'  said  Captain  Stubbs. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  '  o'  course  not '  ?  "  de- 
manded the  indignant  master  of  the  Jo/m  Henry. 

"  Your  deal,"  said  Captain  Stubbs,  pushing  the 
cards  over  to  him. 

"  You  haven't  answered  my  question,"  said 
Captain  Thomsett,  regarding  him  offensively. 

"  There's  some  questions,"  said  Stubbs  slowly, 
"  as  is  best  left  unanswered.  When  you've  seen 
as  much  law  as  I  have,  my  lad,  you'll  know  that 
one  of  the  first  principles  of  English  law  is,  that 
nobody  is  bound  to  commit  themselves." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  think  it  is  me  ?  " 
bellowed  Captain  Thomsett. 

"  I  mean  to  say  nothing,"  said  Captain  Stubbs, 
putting  his  huge  hands  on  the  table.  "  But  when 
a  man  comes  into  my  cabin  and  begins  to  hum 
an'  haw  an'  hint  at  things,  and  then  begins  to  ask 
my  advice  about  bigamy,  I  can't  help  thinking. 
This  is  a  free  country,  and  there's  no  law  ag'in 
thinking.  Make  a  clean  breast  of  it,  cap'n,  an'  I'll 
do  what  I  can  for  you." 

"  You're  a  blanked  fool,"  said  Captain  Thomsett 
wrathfully. 

Captain  Stubbs  shook  his  head  gently,  and 
smiled  with  infinite  patience.  "  P'r'aps  so,"  he 
said  modestly.  "  P'r'aps  so  ;  but  there's  one  thing 
I  can  do,  and  that  is,  I  can  read  people." 


T72  MORE   CARGOES 

"  You  can  read  me,  I  s'pose  ?  "  said  Thomsett 
sneeringly. 

"  Easy,  my  lad,"  said  the  other,  still  preserving, 
though  by  an  obvious  effort,  his  appearance  of 
judicial  calm.  "  I've  seen  your  sort  before.  One 
in  pertikler  I  call  to  mind.  He's  doing  four- 
teen years  now,  pore  chap.  But  you  needn't  be 
alarmed,  cap'n.  Your  secret  is  safe  enough  with 
me. 

Captain  Thomsett  got  up  and  pranced  up  and 
down  the  cabin,  but  Captain  Stubbs  remained 
calm.  He  had  seen  that  sort  before.  It  was  in 
teresting  to  the  student  of  human  nature,  and  he 
regarded  his  visitor  with  an  air  of  compassionate 
interest.  Then  Captain  Thomsett  resumed  his 
seat,  and,  to  preserve  his  own  fair  fame,  betrayed 
that  of  George. 

"  I  knew  it  was  either  you,  or  somebody  your 
kind  'art  was  interested  in,"  said  the  discomfited 
Stubbs,  as  they  resumed  the  interrupted  game. 
"You  can't  help  your  face,  cap'n.  When  you  was 
thinking  about  that  pore  chap's  danger  it  was 
working  with  emotion.  It  misled  me,  I  own  it, 
but  it  ain't  often  I  meet  such  a  feeling  'art  as 
yours." 

Captain  Thomsett,  his  eyes  glowing  affection- 
ately, gripped  his  friend's  hand,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  game  listened  to  an  exposition  of  the  law 
relating  to  bigamy  of  a  most  masterly  and  com- 
plicated nature,  seasoned  with  anecdotes   calcu- 


TWO   OF   A   TRADE  1 73 

lated  to  m:ike  the  hardiest  of  men  pause  on  the 
brink  of  matrimony  and  think  seriously  of  their 
position. 

"  Suppose  this  woman  comes  aboard  after  pore 
George,"  said  Thomsett.  "  What's  the  best  thing 
to  be  done  ?  " 

"  The  first  thing,"  said  Captain  Stubbs,  "  is  to 
gain  time.     Put  her  off." 

"  Off  the  ship,  d'ye  mean  ?  "  inquired  the  other. 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  jurist.  "  Pretend  he's  ill 
and  can't  see  anybody.     By  gum,  I've  got  it." 

He  slapped  the  table  with  his  open  hand,  and 
regarded  the  other  triumphantly. 

"  Let  him  turn  into  his  bunk  and  pretend  to  be 
dead,"  he  continued,  in  a  voice  trembling  with 
pride  at  his  strategy.  "  It's  pretty  dark  down 
your  fo'c'sle,  I  know.  Don't  have  no  light  down 
there,  and  tell  him  to  keep  quiet." 

Captain  Thomsett's  eyes  shone,  but  with  a 
qualified  admiration. 

"  Ain't  it  somewhat  sudden  ?  "  he  demurred. 

Captain  Stubbs  regarded  him  with  a  look  of 
supreme  artfulness,  and  slowly  closed  one  eye. 

"  He  got  a  chill  going  in  the  water,"  he  said 
quietly. 

"  Well,  you're  a  masterpiece,"  said  Thomsett 
ungrudgingly.  "  I  will  say  this  of  you,  you're  a 
masterpiece.  Mind  this  is  all  to  be  kept  quite 
secret." 

"  Make  your  mind  easy,"  said  the  eminent  jurist. 


174  MORE   CARGOES 

"  If  I  told  all  I  know  there's  a  good  many  men 
in  this  river  as  'ud  be  doing  time  at  the  present 
moment." 

Captain  Thomsett  expressed  his  pleasure  at  this 
information,  and,  having  tried  in  vain  to  obtain  a 
few  of  their  names,  even  going  so  far  as  to  suggest 
some,  looked  at  the  clock,  and,  shaking  hands, 
departed  to  his  own  ship.  Captain  Stubbs,  left 
to  himself,  finished  his  pipe  and  retired  to  rest ; 
and  his  mate,  who  had  been  lying  in  the  adjoin- 
ing bunk  during  the  consultation,  vainly  trying 
to  get  to  sleep,  scratched  his  head,  and  tried  to 
think  of  a  little  strategy  himself.  He  had  glim- 
merings of  it  before  he  fell  asleep,  but  when  he 
awoke  next  morning  it  flashed  before  him  in  all 
the  fulness  of  its  matured  beauty. 

He  went  on  deck  smiling,  and,  leaning  his  arms 
on  the  side,  gazed  contemplatively  at  George,  who 
was  sitting  on  the  deck  listening  darkly  to  the 
cook  as  that  worthy  read  aloud  from  a  newspaper. 

"  Anything  interesting,  cook  ?  "  demanded  the 
mate. 

"  About  George,  sir,"  said  the  cook,  stopping 
in  his  reading.     "  There's  pictures  of  'im  too." 

He  crossed  to  the  side,  and,  handing  the  paper 
to  the  mate,  listened  smilingly  to  the  little  ejac- 
ulations of  surprise  and  delight  of  that  deceitful 
man  as  he  gazed  upon  the  likenesses.  "  Wonder- 
ful," he  said  emphatically.  "Wonderful.  I  never 
saw  such   a   good    likeness   in    my   life,    George. 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  175 

That'll  be  copied  in  every  newspaper  in  London, 
and  here's  the  name  in  full  too — '  George  Cooper, 
schooner  y(?/^;/  Henry,  now  lying  off  Limehouse.'  " 

He  handed  the  paper  back  to  the  cook  and 
turned  away  grinning  as  George,  unable  to  control 
himself  any  longer,  got  up  with  an  oath  and  went 
below  to  nurse  his  wrath  in  silence.  A  little  later 
the  mate  of  the  brig,  after  a  very  confidential  chat 
with  his  own  crew,  lit  his  pipe  and,  with  a  jaunty 
air,  went  ashore. 

For  the  next  hour  or  two  George  alternated 
between  the  fo'c'sle  and  the  deck,  from  whence 
he  cast  harassed  glances  at  the  busy  wharves 
ashore.  The  skipper,  giving  it  as  his  own  sugges- 
tion, acquainted  him  with  the  arrangements  made 
in  case  of  the  worst,  and  George,  though  he 
seemed  somewhat  dubious  about  them,  went 
below  and  put  his  bed  in  order. 

"  It's  very  unlikely  she'll  see  that  particular 
newspaper  though,"  said  the  skipper  encourag- 
ingly. 

"  People  are  sure  to  see  what  you  don't  want 
'em  too,"  growled  George.  "  Somebody  what 
knows  us  is  sure  to  see  it,  an'  show  'er." 

"  There's  a  lady  stepping  into  a  waterman's 
skiff  now,"  said  the  skipper,  glancing  at  the  stairs. 
''That  wouldn't  be  her,  I  s'pose?  " 

He  turned  to  the  seaman  as  he  spoke  but  the 
words  had  hardly  left  his  lips  before  George  was 
going  below  and  undressing  for  his  part. 


1/6  MORE  CARGOES 

"  If  anybody  asks  for  me,"  he  said,  turning  to 
the  cook,  who  was  regarding  his  feverish 
movements  in  much  astonishment,  "  I'm  dead." 

"  You're  wot  ?  "  inquired  the  other, 

"  Dead,"  said  George.  "  Dead.  Died  at  ten 
o'clock  this  morning.  D'ye  understand,  fat- 
head ?  " 

"  I  can't  say  as  'ow  I  do,"  said  the  cook,  some- 
what acrimoniously. 

"  Pass  the  word  round  that  I'm  dead,"  repeated 
George  hurriedly.  "  Lay  me  out,  cookie.  I'll  do 
so  much  for  you  one  day." 

Instead  of  complying  the  horrified  cook  rushed 
up  on  deck  to  tell  the  skipper  that  George's  brain 
had  gone ;  but,  finding  him  in  the  midst  of  a 
hurried  explanation  to  the  men,  stopped  with 
greedy  ears  to  listen.  The  skiff  was  making 
straight  for  the  schooner,  propelled  by  an  elderly 
waterman  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  the  sole  passenger 
being  a  lady  of  ample  proportions,  who  was 
watching  the  life  of  the  river  through  a  black 
veil. 

In  another  minute  the  skiff  bumped  alongside, 
and  the  waterman  standing  in  the  boat  passed  the 
painter  aboard.  The  skipper  gazed  at  the  fare 
and,  shivering  inwardly,  hoped  that  George  was 
a  good  actor. 

"  I  want  to  see  Mr.  Cooper,"  said  the  lady 
grimly,  as  she  clambered  aboard,  assisted  bv  the 
waterman. 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  1 77 

"  I'm  very  sorry,  but  you  can't  see  him,  mum," 
said  the  skipper  politely. 

"  Ho  !  carn't  I,"  said  the  lady,  raising  her  voice 
a  little.  "  You  go  an'  tell  him  that  his  lawful 
wedded  wife,  what  he  deserted,  is  aboard." 

"  It  'ud  be  no  good,  mum,"  said  the  skipper, 
w^ho  felt  the  full  dramatic  force  of  the  situation. 
"  I'm  afraid  he  wouldn't  listen  to  you." 

"  Ho !  I  think  I  can  persuade  'im  a  bit,"  said 
the  lady,  drawing  in  her  lips.     Where  is  'e  ?  " 

"  Up  aloft,"  said  the  skipper,  removing  his  hat. 

"  Don't  you  give  me  none  of  your  lies,"  said  the 
lady,  as  she  scanned  both  masts  closely. 

"  He's  dead,"  said  the  skipper  solemnly. 

His  visitor  threw  up  her  arms  and  staggered 
back.  The  cook  was  nearest,  and,  throwing  his 
arms  round  her  waist,  he  caught  her  as  she  swayed. 
The  mate,  who  was  of  a  sympathetic  nature, 
rushed  below  for  whisky,  as  she  sank  back  in  the 
hatchway,  taking  the  reluctant  cook  with  her. 

"  Poor  thing  !  "  said  the  skipper. 

"  Don't  'old  'er  so  tight,  cook,"  said  one  of  the 
men.     "  There's  no  necessity  to  squeeze  'er." 

"  Pat  'er  'ands,"  said  another. 

"  Pat  'em  yourself,"  said  the  cook  brusquely,  as 
he  looked  up  and  saw  the  delight  of  the  crew  of 
the  Endeavour,  who  Avere  leaning  over  their 
vessel's  side  regarding  the  proceedings  with  much 
interest. 

"  Don't  leave  go  of  me,"  said  the  newly-made 

12 


T/S  MORE   CARGOES 

widow,  as  she  swallowed  the  whisky,  and  rose  to 
her  feet. 

"  Stand  by  her,  cook,"  said  the  skipper 
authoritatively. 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  said  the  cook. 

They  formed  a  procession  below,  the  skipper 
and  mate  leading ;  the  cook  with  his  fair  burden, 
choking  her  sobs  with  a  handkerchief,  and  the 
crew  following. 

"What  did  he  die  of?  "  she  asked  in  a  whisper 
broken  with  sobs. 

"  Chill  from  the  water,"  whispered  the  skipper 
in  response. 

"  I  can't  see  'im,"  she  whispered.  "  It's  so  dark 
here.  Has  anybody  got  a  match?  Oh!  here's 
some." 

Before  anybody  could  interfere  she  took  a  box 
from  a  locker,  and,  striking  one,  bent  over  the 
motionless  George,  and  gazed  at  his  tightly-closed 
eyes  and  open  mouth  in  silence. 

"  You'll  set  the  bed  alight,"  said  the  mate  in  a 
low  voice,  as  the  end  of  the  match  dropped  off. 

"  It  won't  hurt  'z'w,"  whispered  the  widow 
tearfully. 

The  mate,  who  had  distinctly  seen  the  corpse 
shift  a  bit,  thought  differently. 

"  Nothing  '11  'urt  'im  now,"  whispered  the 
widow,  sniffing  as  she  struck  another  match. 
"  Oh  !  if  he  could  only  sit  up  and  speak  to  me." 

For  a  moment  the  mate,  who  knew  George's 


TWO    OF   A   TRADE  1 79 

temper,  thought  it  highly  probable  that  he  would, 
as  the  top  of  the  second  match  fell  between  his 
shirt  and  his  neck. 

"  Don't  look  any  more,"  said  the  skipper 
anxiously;  "you  can't  do  him  any  good." 

His  visitor  handed  him  the  matches,  and,  for  a 
short  time,  sobbed  in  silence. 

"  We've  done  all  we  could  for  him,"  said  the 
skipper  at  length.  "  It  'ud  be  best  for  you  to  go 
home  and  lay  down  a  bit." 

"You're  all  very  good,  I'm  sure,"  whispered  the 
widow,  turning  away.  "  I'll  send  for  him  this 
evening." 

They  all  started,  especially  the  corpse. 

"  Eh,"  said  the  skipper. 

"  He  was  a  bad  'usband  to  me,"  she  continued, 
still  in  the  same  sobbing  whisper,  "but  I'll  'ave 
'im  put  away  decent." 

"  You'd  better  let  us  bury  him,"  said  the 
skipper.  "  We  can  do  it  cheaper  than  you  can, 
perhaps  ?  " 

"  No.  I'll  send  for  him  this  evening,"  said  the 
lady.     "  Are  they  'is  clothes  ?  " 

"  The  last  he  ever  wore,  "  said  the  skipper 
pathetically,  pointing  to  the  heap  of  clothing. 
"  There's  his  chest,  poor  chap,  just  as  he  left  it." 

The  bereaved  widow  bent  down,  and,  raising 
the  lid,  shook  her  head  tearfully  as  she  regarded 
the  contents.  Then  she  gathered  up  the  clothes 
under  her  left   arm,  and,  still   sobbing,  took  his 


l80  MORE   CARGOES 

watch,  his  knife,  and  some  small  change  from  his 
chest  while  the  crew  in  dumb  show  inquired  of 
the  deceased,  who  was  regarding  her  over  the  edge 
of  the  bunk,  what  was  to  be  done. 

''  I  suppose  there  was  some  money  due  to 
him  ?  "  she  inquired,  turning  to  the  skipper. 

"  Matter  of  a  few  shillings,"  he  stammered. 

"  I'll  take  them,"  she  said,  holding  out  her 
hand. 

The  skipper  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  and,  in 
his  turn,  looked  inquiringly  at  the  late  lamented 
for  guidance ;  but  George  had  closed  his  eyes 
again  to  the  world,  and,  after  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion, he  slowly  counted  the  money  into  her  hand. 

She  dropped  the  coins  into  her  pocket,  and, 
with  a  parting  glance  at  the  motionless  figure  in 
the  bunk,  turned  away.  The  procession  made  its 
way  on  deck  again,  but  not  in  the  same  order,  the 
cook  carefully  bringing  up  the  rear. 

"  If  there's  any  other  little  things,"  she  said, 
pausing  at  the  side  to  get  a  firmer  grip  of  the 
clothes  under  her  arm." 

"  You  shall  have  them,"  said  the  skipper,  who 
had  been  making  mental  arrangements  to  have 
George  buried  before  her  return. 

Apparently  much  comforted  by  this  assurance, 
she  allowed  herself  to  be  lowered  into  the  boat, 
which  was  waiting.     The  excitement  of  the  crew 
of  the  brig,  who  had  been  watching  her  move 
ments  with  eager  interest,  got  beyond  the  bounds 


TWO    OF  A   TRADE  l8l 

of  all  decency  as  they  saw  her  being  pulled  ashore 
with  the  clothes  in  her  lap. 

"  You  can  come  up  now,"  said  the  skipper,  as 
he  caught  sight  of  George's  face  at  the  scuttle. 

"  Has  she  gone  ? "  inquired  the  seaman 
anxiously. 

The  skipper  nodded,  and  a  wild  cheer  rose  from 
the  crew  of  the  brig  as  George  came  on  deck  in 
his  scanty  garments,  and,  from  behind  the  others, 
peered  cautiously  over  the  side. 

"  Where  is  she  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  The  skipper  pointed  to  the  boat. 

"  That  ?  ,'  said  George,  starting.  "  That  ?  That 
ain't  my  wife." 

"Not  your  wife?"  said  the  skipper,  staring. 
"  Whose  is  she,  then  ?  ' ' 

"  How  the  devil  should  I  know,"  said  George, 
throwing  discipline  to  the  winds  in  his  agitation. 
"  It  ain't  my  wife." 

"  P'r'aps  it's  one  you've  forgotten,"  suggested 
the  skipper  in  a  low  voice. 

George  looked  at  him  and  choked.  "  I've 
never  seen  her  before,"  he  replied,  "  s'elp  me. 
Call  her  back.     Stop  her." 

The  mate  rushed  aft  and  began  to  haul  in  the 
ship's  boat,  but  George  caught  him  suddenly  by 
the  arm. 

"  Never  mind,"  he  said  bitterly  ;  "  better  let  her 
go.  She  seems  to  know  too  much  for  me.  Some- 
bodys  been  talking  to  her." 


l82  MORE   CARGOES 

It  was  the  same  thought  that  was  troubling 
the  skipper,  and  he  looked  searchingly  from  one 
to  the  other  for  an  explanation.  He  fancied  that 
he  saw  it  when  he  met  the  eye  of  the  mate  of 
the  brig,  and  he  paused  irresolutely  as  the  skiff 
reached  the  stairs,  and  the  woman,  springing 
ashore,  waved  the  clothes  triumphantly  in  the 
direction  of  the  schooner  and  disappeared. 


AN  INTERVENTION 

There  was  bad  blood  between  the  captain  and 
mate  who  comprised  the  officers  and  crew  of  the 
sailing-barge  "  Swallow  "  ;  and  the  outset  of  their 
voyage  from  London  to  Littleport  was  conducted 
in  glum  silence.  As  far  as  the  Nore  they  had 
scarcely  spoken,  and  what  little  did  pass  was 
mainly  in  the  shape  of  threats  and  abuse.  Even- 
ing, chill  and  overcast,  was  drawing  in  ;  distant 
craft  disappeared  somewhere  between  the  waste  of 
waters  and  the  sky,  and  the  side-lights  of  neigh- 
bouring vessels  were  beginning  to  shine  over  the 
water.  The  wind,  with  a  little  rain  in  it,  was 
unfavourable  to  much  progress,  and  the  trough  of 
the  sea  got  deeper  as  the  waves  ran  higher  and 
splashed  by  the  barge's  side. 

"  Get  the  side-lights  out,  and  quick,  you," 
growled  the  skipper,  who  was  at  the  helm. 

The  mate,  a  black-haired,  fierce-eyed  fellow  of 
about  twenty-five,  set  about  the  task  with  much 
deliberation. 

"  And  look  lively,  you  lump,"  continued  the 
skipper. 

"  I  don't  want  none  of  your  lip,"  said  the  mate 

furiously  ;  "  so  don't  you  give  me  none." 

The  skipper  yawned,  and  stretching  his  mighty 

183 


1 84  MORE   CARGOES 

frame  laughed  disagreeably.  "You  11  take  what 
I  give  you,  my  lad,"  said  he,  "  whether  it's  lip 
or  fist." 

"  Lay  a  finger  on  me  and  I'll  knife  you,"  said 
the  mate.  "  I  ain't  afraid  of  you,  for  all  your 
size. 

He  put  out  the  side-lights,  casting  occasional 
looks  of  violent  hatred  at  the  skipper,  who,  being 
a  man  of  tremendous  physique  and  rough  tongue, 
had  goaded  his  subordinate  almost  to  madness. 

"  If  you've  done  skulking,"  he  cried  as  he 
knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  "  come  and 
take  the  helm." 

The  mate  came  aft  and  relieved  him ;  and  he 
stood  for  a  few  seconds  taking  a  look  round 
before  going  below.  He  dropped  his  pipe,  and 
stooped  to  recover  it ;  and  in  that  moment  the 
mate,  with  a  sudden  impulse,  snatched  up  a  hand- 
spike and  dealt  him  a  crushing  blow  on  the  head. 
Half  blinded  and  stunned  by  the  blow,  the  man 
fell  on  his  knees,  and  shielding  his  face  with  his 
hands  strove  to  rise.  Before  he  could  do  so  the 
mate  struck  wildly  at  him  again,  and  with  a  great 
cry  he  fell  backwards  and  rolled  heavily  over- 
board. The  mate,  with  a  sob  in  his  breath,  gazed 
wildly  astern,  and  waited  for  him  to  rise.  He 
waited  :  minutes  seemed  to  pass,  and  still  the  body 
of  the  skipper  did  not  emerge  from  the  depths. 
He  reeled  back  in  a  stupor;  then  he  gave  a  faint 
cry  as  his  eye  fell  on  the  boat,  which  was  dragging 


AN   INTERVENTION  18$ 

a  yard  or  two  astern,  and  a  figure  which  clung 
desperately  to  the  side  of  it.  Before  he  had  quite 
realised  what  had  happened,  he  saw  the  skipper 
haul  himself  on  to  the  stern  of  the  boat  and  then 
roll  heavily  into  it. 

Panic-stricken  at  the  sight,  he  drew  his  knife  to 
cut  the  boat  adrift,  but  paused  as  he  reflected  that 
she  and  her  freight  would  probably  be  picked  up 
by  some  passing  vessel.  As  the  thought  struck 
him  he  saw  the  dim  form  of  the  skipper  come 
towards  the  bow  of  the  boat  and,  seizing  the  rope, 
begin  to  haul  in  towards  the  barge. 

"  Stop  !  "  shouted  the  mate  hoarsely  ;  "  stop  !  or 
I'll  cut  you  loose." 

The  skipper  let  the  rope  go,  and  the  boat  pulled 
up  with  a  jerk. 

"  I'm  independent  of  you,"  the  skipper  shouted, 
picking  up  one  of  the  loose  boards  from  the 
bottom  of  the  boat  and  brandishing  it.  ''  If 
there's  any  sea  on  I  can  keep  her  head  to  it 
with  this.     Cut  away." 

"  If  I  let  you  come  aboard,"  said  the  mate,  "  will 
you  swear  to  let  bygones  be  bygones  ? 

"No!"  thundered  the  other.  "Whether  I 
come  aboard  or  not  don't  make  much  difference. 
It'll  be  about  twenty  years  for  you,  you  murder- 
ing hound,  when  I  get  ashore." 

The  mate  made  no  reply,  but  sat  silently 
steering,  keeping,  however,  a  wary  eye  on  the 
boat  towing    behind.     He  turned  sick  and  faint 


1 86  MORE   CARGOES 

as  he  thought  of  the  consequences  of  his  action, 
and  vainly  cast  about  in  his  mind  for  some 
means  of  escape. 

"  Are  you  going  to  let  me  come  aboard  ? " 
presently  demanded  the  skipper,  who  was  shiver- 
ing in  his  wet  clothes. 

"  You  can  come  aboard  on  my  terms,"  repeat- 
ed the  mate  doggedly. 

"  I'll  make  no  terms  with  you,"  cried  the  other. 
"  I  hand  you  over  to  the  police  directly  I  get 
ashore,  you  mutinous  dog.  I've  got  a  good  wit- 
ness in  my  head." 

After  this  there  was  silence—  silence  unbroken 
through  the  long  hours  of  the  night  as  they 
slowly  passed.  Then  the  dawn  came.  The  side- 
lights showed  fainter  and  fainter  in  the  water; 
the  light  on  the  mast  shed  no  rays  on  the  deck, 
but  twinkled  uselessly  behind  its  glass.  Then 
the  mate  turned  his  gaze  from  the  wet,  cheerless 
deck  and  heaving  seas  to  the  figure  in  the  boat 
dragging  behind.  The  skipper,  who  returned  his 
gaze  with  a  fierce  scowl,  was  holding  his  wet 
handkerchief  to  his  temple.  He  removed  it  as 
the  mate  looked,  and  showed  a  ghastly  wound. 
Still,  neither  of  them  spoke.  The  mate  averted 
his  gaze,  and  sickened  with  fear  as  he  thought 
of  his  position ;  and  in  that  instant  the  skipper 
clutched  the  painter,  and,  with  a  mighty  heave, 
sent  the  boat  leaping  towards  the  stern  of  the 
barge,  and   sprang  on  deck.     The    mate  rose  to 


AN    INTERVENTION  187 

his  feet ;  but  the  other  pushed  him  fiercely  aside, 
and  picking  up  the  handspike,  which  lay  on  the 
raised  top  of  the  cabin,  went  below.  Half  an 
hour  later  he  came  on  deck  with  a  fresh  suit  of 
clothes  on,  and  his  head  roughly  bandaged,  and 
standing  in  front  of  the  mate,  favoured  him  with 
a  baleful  stare. 

"  Gimme  that  helm,"  he  cried. 

The  mate  relinquished  it. 

"  You  dog ! "  snarled  the  other,  "  to  try  and 
kill  a  man  when  he  wasn't  looking,  and  then 
keep  him  in  his  wet  clothes  in  the  boat  all 
night.  Make  the  most  o'  your  time.  It'll  be 
many  a  day  before  you  see  the  sea  again." 

The  mate  groaned  in  spirit,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  I've  wrote  everything  down  with  the  time  it 
happened,"  continued  the  other  in  a  voice  of 
savage  satisfaction  ;  "  an'  I've  locked  that  hand- 
spike up  in  my  locker.     It's  got  blood  on  it." 

"  That's  enough  about  it,"  said  the  mate,  turn- 
ing at  last  and  speaking  thickly.  "  What  I've 
done  I  must  put  up  with." 

He  walked  forward  to  end  the  discussion ;  but 
the  skipper  shouted  out  choice  bits  from  time 
to  time  as  they  occurred  to  him,  and  sat  steer- 
ing and  gibing,  a  gruesome  picture  of  vengeance. 

Suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  sharp 
cry.  "  There's  somebody  in  the  water,"  he  roared  ; 
"  stand  by  to  pick  him  up." 

As  he  spoke    he    pointed   with    his  left  hand, 


l88  MORE   CARGOES 

and  with  his  right  steered  for  something  which 
rose  and  fell  lazily  on  the  water  a  short  distance 
from  them. 

The  mate,  following  his  outstretched  arm,  saw 
it  too,  and  picking  up  a  boat-hook  stood  ready, 
and  they  were  soon  close  enough  to  distinguish 
the  body  of  a  man  supported  by  a  life-belt. 

"  Don't  miss  him,"  shouted  the  skipper. 

The  mate  grasped  the  rigging  with  one  hand, 
and  leaning  forward  as  far  as  possible  stood  with 
the  hook  poised.  At  first  it  seemed  as  though 
the  object  would  escape  them,  but  a  touch  of  the 
helm  in  the  nick  of  time  just  enabled  the  mate 
to  reach.  The  hook  caught  in  the  jacket,  and 
with  great  care  he  gradually  shortened  it,  and 
drew  the  body  close  to  the  side. 

"  He's  dead,"  said  the  skipper,  as  he  fastened 
the  helm  and  stood  looking  down  into  the  wet 
face  of  the  man.  Then  he  stooped,  and  taking 
him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat  dragged  the  stream- 
ing figure  on  to  the  deck. 

"  Take  the  helm,"  he  said. 

"Ay,  ay,"  said  the  other;  and  the  skipper  dis- 
appeared below  with  his  burden. 

A  moment  later  he  came  on  deck  again.  "  We'll 
take  in  sail  and  anchor.     Sharp  there!  "  he  cried. 

The  mate  went  to  his  assistance.  There  was 
but  little  wind,  and  the  task  was  soon  accom- 
plished, and  both  men,  after  a  hasty  glance  round, 
ran  below.     The  wet  body  of  the  sailor  lay  on  a 


AN    INTERVENTION  1 89 

locker,  and  a  pool  of  water  was  on  the  cabin 
floor. 

The  mate  hastily  swabbed  up  the  water,  and 
then  lit  the  fire  and  put  on  the  kettle ;  while  the 
skipper  stripped  the  sailor  of  his  clothes,  and  fling- 
ing some  blankets  in  front  of  the  fire  placed  him 
upon  them. 

For  a  long  time  they  toiled  in  silence,  in  the 
faint  hope  that  life  still  remained  in  the  appar- 
ently dead  body. 

"  Poor  devil  ! "  said  the  skipper  at  length,  and 
fell  to  rubbing  again, 

"  I  don't  believe  he's  gone,"  said  the  mate, 
panting  with  his  exertions.  "  He  don't  feel  like 
a  dead  man." 

Ten  minutes  later  the  figure  stirred  slightly, 
and  the  men  talked  in  excited  whispers  as  they 
worked.  A  faint  sigh  came  from  the  lips  of  the 
sailor,  and  his  eyes  partly  opened. 

"  It's  all  right,  matey,"  said  the  skipper  ;  "  you 
lie  still  ;  we'll  do  the  rest.  Jem,  get  some  coffee 
ready." 

By  the  time  it  was  prepared  the  partly  drowned 
man  was  conscious  that  he  was  alive,  and  stared 
in  a  dazed  fashion  at  the  man  who  was  using 
him  so  roughly.  Conscious  that  his  patient  was 
improving  rapidly  the  latter  lifted  him  in  his 
arms  and  placed  him  in  his  own  bunk,  and 
proffered  him  some  steaming  hot  coffee.  He 
sipped  a  little,  then  lapsed  into    unconsciousness 


190  MORE   CARGOES 

again.  The  two  men  looked  at  each  other 
blankly. 

"  Some  of  'em  goes  like  that,"  said  the  skipper. 
"  I've  seen  it  afore.  Just  as  you  think  they're 
pulling  round  they  slip  their  cable." 

"  We  must  keep  him  warm,"  said  the  mate. 
"  I  don't  see  as  we  can  do  any  more." 

"  We'll  get  under  weigh  again,"  said  the  other  ; 
and  pausing  to  heap  some  more  clothes  over  the 
sailor  he  went  on  deck,  followed  by  the  mate  ; 
and  in  a  short  time  the  Swalloiv  was  once  more 
moving  through  the  water.  Then  the  skipper, 
leaving  the  mate  at  the  helm,  went  below. 

Half  an  hour  passed. 

"  Go  and  see  what  you  can  make  of  him,'' 
said  the  skipper  as  he  re-appeared  and  took  the 
helm.  "  He  keeps  coming  round  a  bit,  and  then 
just  drifts  back.  Seems  like  as  if  he  can't  hook 
on  to  life.     Don't  seem  to  take  no  interest  in  it." 

The  mate  obeyed  in  silence  ;  and  for  the 
remainder  of  the  day  the  two  men  relieved  each 
other  at  the  bedside  of  the  sailor.  Towards 
evening,  as  they  were  entering  the  river  which 
runs  up  to  Littleport,  he  made  decided  progress 
under  the  skipper's  ministrations  ;  and  the  latter 
thrust  his  huge  head  up  the  hatchway  and  grinned 
in  excusable  triumph  at  the  mate  as  he  imparted 
the  news.  Then  he  suddenly  remembered  himself, 
and  the  smile  faded.  The  light,  too,  faded  from 
the  mate's  face. 


AN   INTERVENTION  19I 

"  'Bout  that  mutiny  and  attempted  murder," 
said  the  skipper,  and  paused  as  though  waiting 
for  the  mate  to  contradict  or  quahfy  the  terms  ; 
but  he  made  no  reply. 

"  I  give  you  in  charge  as  soon  as  we  get  to 
port,"  continued  the  other.  "  Soon  as  the  ship's 
berthed,  you  go  below." 

"  Ay,  ay,"  said  the  mate,  but  without  looking 
at  him. 

"  Nice  thing  it'll  be  for  your  wife,"  said  the 
skipper  sternly.     "  You'll  get  no  mercy  from  me." 

"I  don't  expect  none,"  said  the  mate  huskily. 
"  What  I've  done  I'll  stand  to." 

The  reply  on  the  skipper's  lips  merged  into  a 
grunt,  and  he  went  below.  The  sailor  was  asleep, 
and  breathing  gently  and  regularly  ;  and  after 
regarding  him  for  some  time  the  watcher  returned 
to  the  deck  and  busied  himself  with  certain  small 
duties  preparatory  to  landing. 

Slowly  the  light  faded  out  of  the  sky,  and 
the  banks  of  the  river  grew  indistinct  ;  and  one  by 
one  the  lights  of  Littleport  came  into  view  as 
they  rounded  the  last  bend  of  the  river,  and  sav/ 
the  little  town  lying  behind  its  veil  of  masts  and 
rigging.  The  skipper  came  aft  and  took  the  helm 
from  the  mate,  and  looked  at  him  out  of  the 
corner  of  his  eye,  as  he  stood  silently  waiting  with 
his  hands  by  his  side. 

"  Take  in  sail,"  said  the  skipper  shortly  ;  and 
leaving  the  helm  a  bit,  ran  to  assist  him.     Five 


192  MORE   CARGOES 

minutes  later  the  SzvaUow  was  alongside  of  the 
wharf,  and  then,  everything  made  fast  and  snug, 
the  two  men  turned  and  faced  each  other. 

"  Go  below,"  said  the  skipper  sternly.  The 
mate  walked  off.  "  And  take  care  of  that  chap. 
I'm  going  ashore.  If  anybody  asks  you  about 
these  scratches,  I  got  'em  in  a  row  down 
Wapping — D'ye  hear?" 

The  mate  heard,  but  there  was  a  thickness  in 
his  throat  which  prevented  him  from  replying 
promptly.  By  the  time  he  had  recovered  his 
voice  the  other  had  disappeared  over  the  edge  of 
the  wharf,  and  the  sound  of  his  retreating  foot- 
steps rang  over  the  cobblestone  quay.  The  mate 
in  a  bewildered  fashion  stood  for  a  short  time 
motionless  ;  then  he  turned,  and  drawing  a  deep 
breath,  went  below. 


THE  GREY  PARROT 

The  Chief  Engineer  and  the  Third  sat  at  tea  on 
the  S.s.  Curlew  in  the  East  India  Docks.  The 
small  and  not  over-clean  steward  having  placed 
everything  he  could  think  of  upon  the  table,  and 
then  added  everything  the  Chief  could  think  of, 
had  assiduously  poured  out  two  cups  of  tea  and 
withdraw  by  request.  The  two  men  ate  steadily, 
conversing  between  bites,  and  interrupted  occa- 
sionally by  a  hoarse  and  sepulchral  voice,  the 
owner  of  which,  being  much  exercised  by  the 
sight  of  the  food,  asked  for  it,  prettily  at  first, 
and  afterwards  in  a  way  which  at  least  compelled 
attention. 

"  That's  pretty  good  for  a  parrot,"  said  the 
Third  critically.  "  Seems  to  know  what  he's 
saying  too.  No,  don't  give  it  anything.  It'll 
stop  if  you  do." 

"  There's  no  pleasure  to  me  in  listening  to 
coarse  language,"  said  the  Chief  with  dignity. 

He  absently  dipped  a  piece  of  bread  and  butter 
in  the  Third's  tea,  and  losing  it  chased  it  round 
and  round  the  bottom  of  the  cup  with  his  finger, 
the  Third  regarding  the  operation  with  an  interest 
and  emotion  which  he  was  at  first  unable  to  un- 
derstand. 

193 


194  MORE   CARGOES 

"  You'd  better  pour  yourself  out  another  cup," 
he  said  thoughtfully  as  he  caught  the  Third's  eye. 

"  I'm  going  to,"  said  the  other  diyly. 

"  The  man  I  bought  it  of,"  said  the  Chief, 
giving  the  bird  the  sop,  "  said  that  it  was  a  per- 
fectly respectable  parrot  and  wouldn't  know  a  bad 
word  if  it  heard  it.  I  hardly  like  to  give  it  to  my 
wife  now." 

"  It's  no  good  being  too  particular,"  said  the 
Third,  regarding  the  other  with  an  ill-concealed 
grin,  "  that's  the  worst  of  all  you  young  married 
fellows.  Seem  to  think  your  wife  has  got  to  be 
wrapped  up  in  brown  paper.  Ten  chances  to  one 
she'll  be  amused," 

The  Chief  shrugged  his  shoulders  disdainfully. 
"  I  bought  the  bird  to  be  company  for  her,"  he 
said  slowly,  "  she'll  be  very  lonesome  without  me, 
Rogers." 

"  How  do  you  know?  "  inquired  the  other. 

"  She  said  so,"  was  the  reply. 

"When  you've  been  married  as  long  as  I  have," 
said  the  Third,  who  having  been  married  some 
fifteen  years  felt  that  their  usual  positions  were 
somewhat  reversed,  "  you'll  know  that  generally 
speaking  they're  glad  to  get  rid  of  you." 

"  What  for  ?  "  demanded  the  Chief  in  a  voice 
that  Othello  might  have  envied. 

"  Well,  you  get  in  the  way  a  bit,"  said  Rogers 
with  secret  enjoyment,  "  you  see  you  upset  the 
arrangements.     House-cleaning  and  all  that  sort 


THE   GREY   PARROT  I95 

of  thing  gets  interrupted.     They're  glad   to  see 

you  back  at  first,  and  then  glad  to  see  the  back  of 

>> 
you. 

"  There's  wives  and  wives,"  said  the  bridegroom 
tenderly. 

"  And  mine's  good  one,"  said  the  Third,  "  re- 
gistered A  I  at  Lloyds',  but  she  don't  worry  about 
me  going  away.  Your  wife's  thirty  years  younger 
than  you,  isn't  she  ?  " 

"  Twenty-five,"  corrected  the  other  shortly. 
"  You  see  what  I'm  afraid  of  is,  that  she'll  get  too 
much  attention." 

"  Well,  women  like  that,"  remarked  the  Third. 

"  But  I  don't,  damn  it,"  cried  the  Chief  hotly. 
"  When  I  think  of  it  I  get  hot  all  over.  Boiling 
hot." 

"  That  won't  last,"  said  the  other  reassuringly, 
"  you  won't  care  twopence  this  time  next  year." 

"  We're  not  all  alike,"  growled  the  Chief,  "  some 
of  us  have  got  finer  feelings  than  others  have.  I 
saw  the  chap  next  door  looking  at  her  as  we 
passed  him  this  morning." 

"  Lor',"  said  the  Third. 

"  I  don't  want  any  of  your  damned  impudence," 
said  the  Chief  sharply.  "He  put  his  hat  on 
straighter  when  he  passed  us.  What  do  you 
think  of  that  ?  " 

"  Can't  say,"  replied  the  other  with  commend- 
able gravity,  "  it  might  mean  anything." 

"  If  he  has  any  of  his  nonsense  while  I'm  away 


196  MORE   CARGOES 

I'll  break  his  neck,"  said  the  Chief  passionately. 
"  I  shall  know  of  it." 

The  other  raised  his  eyebrows. 

"  I've  asked  the  landlady  to  keep  her  eyes  open 
a  bit,"  said  the  Chief.  "  My  wife  was  brought  up 
in  the  country  and  she's  very  young  and  simple, 
so  that  it  is  quite  right  and  proper  for  her  to  have 
a  motherly  old  body  to  look  after  her." 

"  Told  your  wife?  "  queried  Rogers. 

"  No,"  said  the  other.  "  Fact  is,  I've  got  an 
idea  about  that  parrot.  I'm  going  to  tell  her  it's 
a  magic  bird,  and  will  tell  me  everything  she  does 
while  I'm  away.  Anything  the  landlady  tells  me 
I  shall  tell  her  I  got  from  the  parrot.  For  one 
thing,  I  don't  want  her  to  go  out  after  seven  of  an 
evening,  and  she's  promised  me  she  won't.  If  she 
does  I  shall  know,  and  pretend  that  I  know 
through  the  parrot.  What  do  you  think  of 
it?" 

"  Think  of  it  ?  "  said  the  Third,  staring  at  him. 
"  Think  of  it  ?  Fancy  a  man  telling  a  grown-up 
woman  a  yarn  like  that  !  " 

"  She  believes  in  warnings  and  death-watches, 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing,"  said  the  Chief,  "  so  why 
shouldn't  she  ?  " 

"Well,  you'll  know  whether  she  believes  in 
it  or  not  when  you  come  back,"  said  Rogers, 
"  and  it'll  be  a  great  pity,  because  it's  a  beautiful 
talker." 

*'  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  said  the  other. 


THE   GREY    PARROT  I97 

"  I  mean  it'll  get  its  little  neck  wrung,"  said  the 
Third. 

"  Well,  we'll  see,"  said  Gannett.  "  I  shall  know 
what  to  think  if  it  does  die." 

"  I  shall  never  see  that  bird  again,"  said  Rogers, 
shaking  his  head  as  the  Chief  took  up  the  cage 
and  handed  it  to  the  steward,  who  was  to  accom- 
pany him  home  with  it. 

The  couple  left  the  ship  and  proceeded  down 
the  East  India  Dock  Road  side  by  side,  the  only 
incident  being  a  hot  argument  between  a  constable 
and  the  engineer  as  to  whether  he  could  or  could 
not  be  held  responsible  for  the  language  in  which 
the  parrot  saw  fit  to  indulge  when  the  steward 
happened  to  drop  it. 

The  engineer  took  the  cage  at  his  door,  and, 
not  without  some  misgivings,  took  it  upstairs  into 
the  parlour  and  set  it  on  the  table.  Mrs.  Gannett, 
a  simple-looking  woman,  with  sleepy  brown  eyes 
and  a  docile  manner,  clapped  her  hands   with  joy. 

"  Isn't  it  a  beauty  ?  "  said  Mr.  Gannett,  looking 
at  it  ;  "I  bought  it  to  be  company  for  you  while 
I'm  away." 

"  You're  too  good  to  me,  Jem,"  said  his  wife. 
She  walked  all  round  the  cage  admiring  it,  and 
the  parrot,  which  was  of  a  hugely  suspicious  and 
nervous  disposition,  having  had  boys  at  its  last 
place,  turning  with  her.  After  she  had  walked 
round  him  five  times  he  got  sick  of  it,  a-nd  in  a 
simple  sailorly  fashion  said  so. 


198  MORE   CARGOES 

"  Oh,  Jem,"  said  his  wife. 

"  It's  a  beautiful  talker,"  said  Gannett  hastily, 
"  and  it's  so  clever  that  it  picks  up  everything  it 
hears,  but  it'll  soon  forget  it." 

"  It  looks  as  though  it  knows  what  you  are 
saying,"  said  his  wife.  "  Just  look  at  it,  the  artful 
thing." 

The  opportunity  was  too  good  to  be  missed, 
and  in  a  few  straightforward  lies  the  engineer 
acquainted  Mrs.  Gannett  of  the  miraculous  powers 
with  which  he  had  chosen  to  endow  it. 

"  But  you  don't  believe  it  ? "  said  his  wife, 
staring  at  him  open-mouthed. 

"  I  do,"  said  the  engineer  firmly, 

"  But  how  can  it  know  what  I'm  doing  when 
I'm  away  ?  "  persisted  Mrs.  Gannett. 

"  Ah,  that's  its  secret,"  said  the  engineer ;  "  a 
good  many  people  would  like  to  know  that,  but 
nobody  has  found  out  yet.  It's  a  magic  bird,  and 
when  you've  said  that  you've  said  all  there  is  to 
say  about  it." 

Mrs.  Gannett,  wrinkling  her  forehead,  eyed  the 
marvellous  bird  curiously. 

"  You'll  find  it's  quite  true,"  said  Gannett ; 
"  when  I  come  back  that  bird'll  be  able  to  tell  me 
how  you've  been  and  all  about  you.  Everything 
you've  done  during  my  absence." 

"  Good  gracious,"  said  the  astonished  Mrs. 
Gannett. 

"  If  you  stay  out  after  seven  of  an  evening,  of 


THE   GREY   PARROT  I99 

do  anything  else  that  I  shouldn't  like,  that  bird'U 
tell  me,"  continued  the  engineer  impressively. 
"  It'll  tell  me  who  comes  to  see  you,  and  in  fact 
it  will  tell  me  everything  you  do  while  I'm  away." 

"  Well,  it  won't  have  anything  bad  to  tell  of 
me,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  composedly,  "  unless  it 
tells  lies." 

*'  It  can't  tell  lies,"  said  her  husband  confidently, 
"  and  now,  if  you  go  and  put  your  bonnet  on, 
we'll  drop  in  at  the  theatre  for  half  an  hour." 

It  was  a  prophetic  utterance,  for  he  made  such 
a  fuss  over  the  man  next  to  his  wife,  offering  her 
his  opera-glasses,  that  they  left,  at  the  urgent 
request  of  the  management,  in  almost  exactly 
that  space  of  time. 

"  You'd  better  carry  me  about  in  a  band-box," 
said  Mrs.  Gannett  wearily  as  the  outraged  engineer 
stalked  home  beside  her.  "  What  harm  was  the 
man  doing?" 

"You  must  have  given  him  some  encourage- 
ment," said  Mr.  Gannett  fiercely — "  made  eyes  at 
him  or  something.  A  man  wouldn't  offer  to  lend 
a  lady  his  opera-glasses  without." 

Mrs.  Gannett  tossed  her  head — and  that  so 
decidedly,  that  a  passing  stranger  turned  his  head 
and  looked  at  her.  Mr.  Gannett  accelerated  his 
pace,  and  taking  his  wife's  arm,  led  her  swiftly 
home  with  a  passion  too  great  for  words. 

By  the  morning  his  anger  had  evaporated,  but 
his  misgivings  remained.     He  left  after  breakfast 


200  MORE   CARGOES 

for  the  Curlew,  which  was  to  sail  in  the  afternoon, 
leaving  behind  him  copious  instructions,  by  fol- 
lowing which  his  wife  would  be  enabled  to  come 
down  and  see  him  off  with  the  minimum  exposure 
of  her  fatal  charms. 

Left  to  herself  Mrs.  Gannett  dusted  the  room, 
until  coming  to  the  parrot's  cage  she  put  down 
the  duster  and  eyed  its  eerie  occupant  curiously. 
She  fancied  that  she  saw  an  evil  glitter  in  the 
creature's  eye,  and  the  knowing  way  in  which  it 
drew  the  film  over  it  was  as  near  an  approach  to  a 
wink  as  a  bird  could  get. 

She  was  still  looking  at  it  when  there  was  a 
knock  at  the  door,  and  a  bright  little  woman — 
rather  smartly  dressed — bustled  into  the  room, 
and  greeted  her  effusively, 

"  I  just  come  to  see  you,  my  dear,  because  I 
thought  a  little  outing  would  do  me  good,"  she 
said  briskly  ;  "  and  if  you've  no  objection  I'll  come 
down  to  the  docks  with  you  to    see  the  boat  off." 

Mrs.  Gannett  assented  readily.  It  would  ease 
the  engineer's  mind,  she  thought,  if  he  saw  her 
with  a  chaperon. 

"  Nice  bird,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins,  mechanically, 
bringing  her  parasol  to  the  charge. 

"  Don't  do  that,"  said  her  friend  hastily. 

'*  Why  not  ?  "  said  the  other. 

"  Language  !  "  said  Mrs.  Gannett  solemnly. 

"  Well,  I  must  do  something  to  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Cluffins  restlessly. 


THE   GREY   PARROT  20I 

She  held  the  parasol  near  the  cage  and  sud- 
denly opened  it.  It  was  a  flaming  scarlet,  and 
for  the  moment  the  shock  took  the  parrot's  breath 
away. 

"  He  don't  mind  that,"  said  Mrs,  Gannett. 

The  parrot,  hopping  to  the  farthest  corner  of 
the  bottom  of  his  cage,  said  something  feebly„ 
Finding  that  nothing  dreadful  happened,  he  re- 
peated his  remark  somewhat  more  boldly,  and, 
being  convinced  after  all  that  the  apparition  was 
quite  harmless  and  that  he  had  displayed  his 
craven  spirit  for  nothing,  hopped  back  on  his 
perch  and  raved  wickedly. 

"  If  that  was  my  bird,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins,  al- 
most as  scarlet  as  her  parasol,  "  I  should  wring  its 
neck." 

"  No,  you  wouldn't,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  sol- 
emnly. And  having  quieted  the  bird  by  throwing 
a  cloth  over  its  cage,  she  explained  its  proper- 
ties. 

"  What !  "  said  Mrs.  Cluffins,  unable  to  sit  still 
in  her  chair.  "  You  mean  to  tell  me  your  husband 
said  that !  " 

Mrs.  Gannett  nodded. 

"  He's  awfully  jealous  of  me,"  she  said  with  a 
slight  simper. 

"  I  wish  he  was  my  husband,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins 
in  a  thin,  hard  voice.  "  I  wish  C.  would  talk  to 
me  like  that.  I  wish  somebody  would  try  and 
persuade  C.  to  talk  to  me  like  that." 


202  MORE   CARGOES 

"  It  shows  he's  fond  of  me,"  said  Mrs,  Gannett, 
looking  down. 

Mrs.  Clufifiins  jumped  up  and  snatched  the  cover 
off  the  cage  ;  endeavoured,  but  in  vain,  to  get  the 
parasol  through  the  bars, 

"  And  you  believe  that  rubbish  !  "  she  said 
scathingly.     "  Bosh,  you  wretch  !  " 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  said  her  friend,  taking  her 
gently  away  and  covering  the  cage  hastily  just  as 
the  bird  was  recovering,  "  but  I  let  him  think  I 
do." 

"  I  call  it  an  outrage,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins,  waving 

„  the  parasol  wildly.     "  I   never  heard   of   such   a 

thing;    I'd  like  to  give  Mr.  Gannett  a  piece  of  my 

mind.    Just  about  half  an  hour  of  it.     He  wouldn't 

be  the  same  man  afterwards — I'd  parrot  him." 

Mrs.  Gannett,  soothing  her  agitated  friend  as 
well  as  she  was  able,  led  her  gently  to  a  chair  and 
removed  her  bonnet,  and  finding  that  complete 
recovery  was  impossible  while  the  parrot  remained 
in  the  room,  took  that  wonder-working  bird  out- 
side. 

By  the  time  they  had  reached  the  docks  and 
boarded  the  Curlew  Mrs.  Clufifins  had  quite  recov- 
ered her  spirits.  She  roamed  about  the  steamer 
asking  questions,  which  savoured  more  of  idle 
curiosity  than  a  genuine  thirst  for  knowledge,  and 
was  at  no  pains  to  conceal  her  opinion  of  those 
who  were  unable  to  furnish  her  with  satisfactory 
replies 


THE   GREY   PARROT  203 

"  I  shall  think  of  you  every  day,  Jem,"  said 
Mrs.  Gannett  tenderly. 

"  I  shall  think  of  you  every  minute,"  said  the 
engineer  reproachfully. 

He  sighed  gently  and  gazed  in  a  scandalised 
fashion  at  Mrs.  Cluffins,  who  was  carrying  on  a 
desperate  flirtation  with  one  of  the  apprentices. 

"  She's  very  light-hearted,"  said  his  wife,  follow- 
ing the  direction  of  his  eyes. 

"  She  is,"  said  Mr.  Gannett  curtly,  as  the  uncon- 
scious Mrs.  Cluffins  shut  her  parasol  and  rapped 
the  apprentice  playfully  with  the  handle,  "  She 
seems  to  be  on  very  good  terms  with  Jenkins, 
laughing  and  carrying  on.  I  don't  suppose  she's 
ever  seen  him  before," 

"  Poor  young  things,"  said  Mrs,  Clufifins  sol- 
emnly, as  she  came  up  to  them.  "  Don't  you 
worry,  Mr.  Gannett ;  I'll  look  after  her  and  keep 
her  from  moping."^ 

"You're  very  kind,"  said  the  engineer  slowly. 

"We'll  have  a  jolly  time,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins, 
"  I  often  wish  my  husband  was  a  seafaring 
man,  A  wife  does  have  more  freedom,  doesn't 
she?" 

"More  what?"  inquired  Mr,  Gannett  huskily. 

"  More  freedom,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins  gravely.  "  I 
always  envy  sailors'  wives.  They  can  do  as  they 
like.  No  husband  to  look  after  them  for  nine  or 
ten  months  in  the  year." 

Before  the  unhappy  engineer  could  put  his  in- 


204  MORE   CARGOES 

dignant  thoughts  into  words  there  was  a  warning 
cry  from  the  gangway,  and,  with  a  hasty  farewell, 
he  hurried  below.  The  visitors  went  ashore,  the 
gangway  was  shipped,  and  in  response  to  the 
clang  of  the  telegraph,  the  Curlezu  drifted  slowly 
away  from  the  quay  and  headed  for  the  spring 
bridge  slowly  opening  in  front  of  her. 

The  two  ladies  hurried  to  the  pier-head  and 
watched  the  steamer  down  the  river  until  a  bend 
hid  it  from  view.  Then  Mrs.  Gannett,  with  a 
sensation  of  having  lost  something,  due,  so  her 
friend  assured  her,  to  the  want  of  a  cup  of  tea, 
went  slowly  back  to  her  lonely  home. 

In  the  period  of  grass  widowhood  which  ensued, 
Mrs.  Cluffins'  visits  formed  almost  the  sole  relief 
to  the  bare  monotony  of  existence.  As  a  com- 
panion the  parrot  was  an  utter  failure,  its  language 
being  so  irredeemably  bad  that  it  spent  most  of 
its  time  in  the  spare  room  with  a  cloth  over  its 
cage,  wondering  when  the  days  were  going  to 
lengthen  a  bit.  Mrs.  Cluffins  suggested  selling  it, 
but  her  friend  repelled  the  suggestion  with  horror, 
and  refused  to  entertain  it  at  any  price,  even  that 
of  the  publican  at  the  corner,  who  had  heard  of 
the  bird's  command  of  language,  and  was  bent 
upon  buying  it. 

"  I  wonder  what  that  beauty  will  have  to  tell 
your  husband,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins,  as  they  sat  to- 
gether one  day  some  three  months  after  the 
Curlew's  departure. 


THE    GREY    PARROT  20$ 

"  I  should  hope  that  he  has  forgotten  that  non- 
sense," said  Mrs.  Gannett,  reddening  ;  "  he  never 
alludes  to  it  in  his  letters." 

"  Sell  it,"  said  Mrs.  Cluffins  peremptorily.  "  It's 
no  good  to  you,  and  Hobson  would  give  anything 
for  it  almost." 

Mrs.  Gannett  shook  her  head.  "  The  house 
wouldn't  hold  my  husband  if  I  did,"  she  remarked 
with  a  shiver. 

"Oh,  yes  it  would,"  said  Mrs.  Clufifins;  "you 
do  as  I  tell  you,  and  a  much  smaller  house  than 
this  would  hold  him.  I  told  C.  to  tell  Hobson  he 
should  have  it  for  five  pounds." 

"  But  he  mustn't,"  said  her  friend  in  alarm. 

"  Leave  yourself  right  in  my  hands,"  said  Mrs. 
Clufifins,  spreading  out  two  small  palms,  and  re- 
garding them  complacently.  "  It'll  be  all  right,  I 
promise  you." 

She  put  her  arm  round  her  friend's  waist  and 
led  her  to  the  window,  talking  earnestly.  In  five 
minutes  Mrs.  Gannett  was  wavering,  in  ten  she 
had  given  away,  and  in  fifteen  the  energetic  Mrs. 
Cluffins  was  en  route  for  Hobson's,  swinging  the 
cage  so  violently  in  her  excitement  that  the  parrot 
was  reduced  to  holding  on  to  its  perch  with  claws 
and  bill.  Mrs.  Gannett  watched  the  progress 
from  the  window,  and  with  a  queer  look  on  her 
face  sat  down  to  think  out  the  points  of  attack 
and  defence  in  the  approaching  fray. 

A  week  later  a  four-wheeler  drove  up  to  the 


206  MORE   CARGOES 

door,  and  the  engineer,  darting  upstairs  three  steps 
at  a  time,  dropped  an  armful  of  parcels  on  the 
floor,  and  caught  his  wife  in  an  embrace  which 
would  have  done  credit  to  a  bear.  Mrs.  Gannett, 
for  reasons  of  which  a  lack  of  muscle  was  only 
one,  responded  less  ardently. 

"  Ha,  it's  good  to  be  home  again,"  said  Gannett, 
sinking  into  an  easy-chair  and  pulling  his  wife  on 
his  knee.    "And  how  have  you  been?    Lonely?" 

"  I  got  used  to  it,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  softly. 

The  engineer  coughed.    "  You  had  the  parrot,' 
he  remarked. 

"  Yes,  I  had  the  magic  parrot,"  said  Mrs. 
Gannett. 

"  How's  it  getting  on  ? "  said  her  husband, 
looking  round.     "Where  is  it  ?  " 

"  Part  of  it  is  on  the  mantelpiece,"  said  Mrs. 
Gannett,  trying  to  speak  calmly,  "  part  of  it  is  in 
a  bonnet-box  upstairs,  some  of  it's  in  my  pocket, 
and  here  is  the  remainder." 

She  fumbled  in  her  pocket  and  placed  in  his 
hand  a  cheap  two-bladed  clasp-knife. 

"On  the  mantelpiece?"  repeated  the  engineer, 
staring  at  the  knife  ;  "  in  a  bonnet-box  !  " 

"Those  blue  vases,"  said  his  wife. 

Mr.  Gannett  put  his  hand  to  his  head.  If  he 
had  heard  aright  one  parrot  had  changed  into  a 
pair  of  vases,  a  bonnet,  and  a  knife.  A  magic 
bird  with  a  vengeance. 

"  I  sold  it,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  suddenly. 


THE   GREY   PARROT  20/ 

The  engineer's  knee  stiffened  inhospitably,  and 
his  arm  dropped  from  his  wife's  waist.  She  rose 
quietly  and  took  a  chair  opposite. 

"  Sold  it !  '■  said  Mr.  Gannett  in  awful  tones. 
"  Sold  my  parrot !  " 

"  I  didn't  like  it,  Jem,"  said  his  wife.  "  I  didn't 
want  that  bird  watching  me,  and  I  did  want  the 
vases,  and  the  bonnet,  and  the  little  present  for 
you. 

Mr.  Gannett  pitched  the  little  present  into  the 
corner  of  the  room. 

"You  see  it  mightn't  have  told  the  truth, 
Jem,"  continued  Mrs.  Gannett.  "  It  might  have 
told  all  sorts  of  lies  about  me,  and  made  no  end 
of  mischief." 

''  It  couldn't  lie,"  shouted  the  engineer  passion- 
ately, rising  from  his  chair  and  pacing  the  room. 
"  It's  your  guilty  conscience  that's  made  a  coward 
of  you.     How  dare  you  sell  my  parrot  ?  " 

"  Because  it  wasn't  truthful,  Jem,"  said  his  wife, 
who  was  somewhat  pale. 

"  If  you  were  half  as  truthful  you'd  do,"  vocif- 
erated the  engineer,  standing  over  her.  "  You,  you 
deceitful  woman." 

Mrs.  Gannett  fumbled  in  her  pocket  again,  and 
producing  a  small  handkerchief  applied  it  delib- 
erately to  her  eyes. 

"  I — I  got  rid  of  it  for  your  sake,"  she  stam- 
mered. "  It  used  to  tell  such  lies  about  you.  I 
couldn't  bear  to  listen  to  it." 


208  MORE   CARGOES 

"About  me /''said  Mr.  Gannett,  sinking  into 
his  seat  and  staring  at  his  wife  with  very  natural 
amazement.  "Tell  lies  about  me/  Nonsense! 
How  could  it?" 

"  I  suppose  it  could  tell  me  about  you  as  easily 
as  it  could  tell  you  about  me  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Gannett. 
"  There  was  more  magic  in  that  bird  than  you 
thought,  Jem.  It  used  to  say  shocking  things 
about  you.     I  couldn't  bear  it." 

"  Do  you  think  you're  talking  to  a  child  or  a 
fool?"  demanded  the  engineer. 

Mrs.  Gannett  shook  her  head  feebly.  She  still 
kept  the  handkerchief  to  her  eyes,  but  allowed  a 
portion  to  drop  over  her  mouth. 

"I  should  like  to  hear  one  of  the  stories  it  told 
about  me,  if  you  can  remember  them,"  said  the 
engineer  with  bitter  sarcasm. 

"  The  first  lie,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  in  a  feeble 
but  ready  voice,  "  was  about  the  time  you  were  at 
Genoa.  The  parrot  said  you  were  at  some  con- 
cert gardens  at  the  upper  end  of  the  town." 

One  moist  eye  coming  mildly  from  behind  the 
handkerchief  saw  the  engineer  stiffen  suddenly  in 
his  chair. 

"  I  don't  suppose  there  even  is  such  a  place," 
she  continued. 

"  I — b'leve — there — is,"  said  her  husband  jerkily. 
"  I've  heard — our  chaps — talk  of  it." 

"But  you  haven't  been  there?  "said  his  wife 
anxiously. 


THE   GREY   PARROT 


209 


"  Never !  "  said  the  engineer  with  extraordinary 
vehemence. 

"  That  wicked  bird  said  that  you  got  intoxicated 
there,"  said  Mrs.  Gannett  in  solemn  accents,  "  that 
you  smashed  a  httle  marble-topped  table  and 
knocked  down  two  waiters,  and  that  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  the  captain  of  the  Pursuit,  who  was  in 
there  and  who  got  you  away,  you'd  have  been 
locked  up.     Wasn't  it  a  wicked  bird  ?  " 

"  Horrible  !  "  said  the  engineer  huskily. 

"  I  don't  suppose  there  ever  was  a  ship  called 
the  Pursuit^'  continued  Mrs.  Gannett. 

"  Doesn't  sound  like  a  ship's  name,"  murmured 
Mr.  Gannett. 

"  Well,  then,  a  few  days  later  it  said  the  Curlew 
was  at  Naples." 

"  I  never  went  ashore  all  the  time  we  were  at 
Naples,"  remarked  the  engineer  casually. 

"  The  parrot  said  you  did,"  said  Mrs.  Gan- 
nett. 

"  I  suppose  you'll  believe  your  own  lawful  hus- 
band before  that  damned  bird  ? "  shouted  Gan- 
nett, starting  up. 

"  Of  course  I  didn't  believe  it,  Jem,"  said  his 
wife.  "  I'm  trying  to  prove  to  you  that  the  bird 
was  not  truthful,  but  you're  so  hard  to  persuade." 

Mr.  Gannett  took  a  pipe  from  his  pocket,  and 
with  a  small  knife  dug  with   much  severity  and 
determination  a  hardened  plug  from  the  bowl,  and 
blew  noisily  through  the  stem. 
14 


2IO  MORE   CARGOES 

"  There  was  a  girl  kept  a  fruit-stall  just  by  the 
harbor,"  said  Mrs,  Gannett,  "  and  on  this  evening, 
on  the  strength  of  having  bought  three-penny- 
worth of  green  figs,  you  put  your  arm  round  her 
waist  and  tried  to  kiss  her,  and  her  sweetheart, 
who  was  standing  close  by,  tried  to  stab  you.  The 
parrot  said  that  you  were  in  such  a  state  of  terror 
that  you  jumped  into  the  harbour  and  were  nearly 
drowned." 

Mr.  Gannett  having  loaded  his  pipe  lit  it  slowly 
and  carefully,  and  with  tidy  precision  got  up  and 
deposited  the  match  in  the  fireplace. 

"  It  used  to  frighten  me  so  with  its  stories  that 
I  hardly  knew  what  to  do  with  myself,"  continued 
Mrs.  Gannett.     "  When  you  were  at  Suez " 

The  engineer  waved  his  hand  imperiously. 

"  That's  enough,"  he  said  stiffly. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  want  to  have  to  repeat  what 
it  told  me  about  Suez,"  said  his  wife.  "  I  thought 
you'd  like  to  hear  it,  that's  all," 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  the  engineer,  pufifing  at  his 
pipe.     "  Not  at  all." 

"  But  you  see  why  I  got  rid  of  the  bird,  don't 
you  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Gannett,  "  If  it  had  told  you 
untruths  about  me,  you  would  have  believed 
them,  wouldn't  you?" 

Mr,  Gannett  took  his  pipe  from  his  mouth 
and  took  his  wife  in  his  extended  arms.  "  No, 
my  dear,"  he  said  brokenly,  "  no  more  than  you 
believe  all  this  stuff  about  me." 


THE   GREY   PARROT  211 

"And  I  did  quite  right  to  sell  it,  didn't  I, 
Jem?" 

"Quite  right,"  said  Mr.  Gannett  with  a  great 
assumption  of  heartiness.  "  Best  thing  to  do 
with  it." 

"  You  haven't  heard  the  worst  yet,"  said  Mrs. 
Gannett.     "  When  you  were  at  Suez " 

Mr.  Gannett  consigned  Suez  to  its  only  rival, 
and  thumping  the  table  with  his  clenched  fist, 
forbade  his  wife  to  mention  the  word  again,  and 
desired  her  to  prepare  supper. 

Not  until  he  heard  his  wife  moving  about  in  the 
kitchen  below  did  he  relax  the  severity  of  his 
countenance.  Then  his  expression  changed  to 
one  of  extreme  anxiety,  and  he  restlessly  paced 
the  room  seeking  for  light.     It  came  suddenly. 

"  Jenkins,"  he  gasped,  "  Jenkins  and  Mrs.  Cluf- 
fins,  and  I  was  going  to  tell  Cluffins  about  him 
writing  to  his  wife.  I  expect  he  knows  the  letter 
by  heart." 


MONEY-CHANGERS 

"  'Taint  no  use  waiting  any  longer,"  said  Harry 
Pilchard,  looking  over  the  side  of  the  brig  towards 
the  Tower  stairs.  "  'E's  either  waiting  for  the 
money  or  else  'e's  a  spending  of  it.  Who's  coming 
ashore?" 

"  Give  'im  another  five  minutes,  Harry,"  said 
another  seaman  persuasively ;  "  it  'ud  be  uncom- 
mon 'ard  on  'im  if  'e  come  aboard  and  then  'ad  to 
go  an'  get  another  ship's  crew  to  'elp  'im  celebrate 
it." 

"  *Ard  on  us,  too,"  said  the  cook  honestly. 
"  There  he  is  !  " 

The  other  glanced  up  at  a  figure  waving  to  them 
from  the  stairs.  "  'E  wants  the  boat,"  he  said, 
moving  aft. 

"No  'e  don't,  Steve,"  piped  the  boy.  '"E's 
waving  you  not  to.  He's  coming  in  the  water- 
man's skiff." 

"  Ha !  same  old  tale,"  said  the  seaman  wisely. 
"  Chap  comes  in  for  a  bit  o'  money  and  begins  to 
waste  it  directly.  There's  threepence  gone ;  clean 
chucked  away.     Look  at  'im.     Just  look  at  'im  !  " 

"'E's  got  the  money  all  right,"  said  the  cook; 
"  there's  no  doubt  about  that.  Why,  'e  looks  'arf 
as  large  again  as  'e  did  this  morning," 

212 


MONEY-CHANGERS  21 3 

The  crew  bent  over  the  side  as  the  skiff  ap- 
proached, and  the  fare,  who  had  been  leaning  back 
in  the  stern  with  a  severely  important  air,  rose 
slowly  and  felt  in  his  trousers'  pocket, 

"  There's  a  sixpence  for  you,  my  lad,"  he  said 
pompously.     "  Never  mind  about  the  change." 

"  All  right,  old  slack-breeches,"  said  the  water- 
man with  effusive  good-fellowship,  "  up  you  get." 

Three  pairs  of  hands  assisted  the  offended  fare 
on  board,  and  the  boy,  hovering  round  him, 
slapped  his  legs  vigorously. 

"Wot  are  you  up  to?"  demanded  Mr.  Samuel 
Dodds,  A.B.,  turning  on  him. 

"  Only  dusting  you  down,  Sam,"  said  the  boy 
humbly. 

"  You  got  the  money  all  right,  I  s'pose, 
Sammy  ?  "  said  Steve  Martin. 

Mr.  Dodds  nodded  and  slapped  his  breast- 
pocket. 

"  Right  as  ninepence,"  he  replied  genially. 
"  I've  been  with  my  lawyer  all  the  arternoon, 
pretty  near.     'E's  a  nice  feller," 

'"Ow  much  is  it,  Sam?"  inquired  Pilchard 
eagerly. 

"  One  'undred  and  seventy-three  pun  seventeen 
shillings  an'  ten  pence,''  said  the  heir,  noticing 
with  much  pleasure  the  effect  of  his  announce- 
ment. 

"  Say  it  agin,  Sam,"  said  Pilchard  in  awed 
tones. 


214  MORE   CARGOES 

Mr.  Dodds,  with  a  happy  laugh,  obliged  him. 
"  If  you'll  all  come  down  the  foc's'le,"  he  contin- 
ued, "  I've  got  a'  bundle  o'  cigars  an'  a  drop  o' 
something  short  in  my  pocket." 

"  Let's  'ave  a  look  at  the  money,  Sam,"  said 
Pilchard  when  the  cigars  were  alight. 

"  Ah,  let's  'ave  a  look  at  it,"  said  Steve. 

Mr.  Dodds  laughed  again,  and  producing  a 
small  canvas-bag  from  his  pocket,  dusted  the  table 
with  his  big  palm,  and  spread  out  a  roll  of  bank- 
notes and  a  little  pile  of  gold  and  silver.  It  was 
an  impressive  sight,  and  the  cook  breathed  so  hard 
that  one  note  fluttered  off  the  table.  Three  men 
dived  to  recover  it,  while  Sam,  alive  for  the  first 
time  to  the  responsibilities  of  wealth,  anxiously 
watched  the  remainder  of  his  capital. 

"  There's  something  for  you  to  buy  sweets  with, 
my  lad,"  he  said,  restored  to  good  humour  as  the 
note  was  replaced. 

He  passed  over  a  small  coin,  and  regarded  with 
tolerant  good-humour  the  extravagant  manifesta- 
tion of  joy  on  the  part  of  the  youth  which  fol- 
lowed. He  capered  joyously  for  a  minute  or  two, 
and  then  taking  it  to  the  foot  of  the  steps,  where 
the  light  was  better,  bit  it  ecstatically. 

"  How  much  is  it  ? "  inquired  the  wandering 
Steve.     "  You  do  chuck  your  money  about,  Sam." 

"  On'y  sixpence,"  said  Sam,  laughing.  "  I  ex- 
pect if  it  'ad  been  a  shillin'  it  'ud  ha'  turned  his 
ram. 


MONEY-CHANGERS  21$ 

"  It  ain't  a  sixpence,"  said  the  boy  indignantly. 
**  It's  'arf  a  suvrin'." 

"  'Arf  a  wot  ? "  exclaimed  Mr.  Dodds  with  a 
sudden  change  of  manner. 

"  'Arf  a  suvrin',"  repeated  the  boy  with  nervous 
rapidity;  "and  thank  you  very  much,  Sam,  for 
your  generosity.  If  everybody  was  like  you  we 
should  all  be  the  better  for  it.  The  world  'ud  be 
a  different  place  to  live  in,"  concluded  the  youth- 
ful philosopher, 

Mr.  Dodd's  face  under  these  fulsome  praises 
was  a  study  in  conflicting  emotions.  "  Well, 
don't  waste  it,"  he  said  at  length,  and  hastily 
gathering  up  the  remainder  stowed  it   in  the  bag. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it  all,  Sam  ?  " 
inquired  Harry. 

"  I  ain't  made  up  my  mind  yet,"  said  Mr.  Dodds 
deliberately.     "  I  'ave  thought  of  'ouse  property." 

"  I  don't  mean  that,"  said  the  other.  "  I  mean 
wot  are  you  going  to  do  with  it  now,  to  take  care 
of  it?" 

"  Why,  keep  it  in  my  pocket,"  said  Sam,  staring. 

"  Well,  if  I  was  you,"  said  Harry  impressively, 
"  I  should  ask  the  skipper  to  take  care  of  it  for 
me.  You  know  wot  you  are  when  you're  a  bit 
on,  Sam." 

"  Wot  d'yer  mean  ? "  demanded  Mr.  Dodds 
hotly. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Harry  hastily,  "  that  you've  got 
sich  a  generous  nature  that  when  you've   'ad  a 


2l6  MORE   CARGOES 

glass  or  two  you're  just  as  likely  as  not  to  give 
it  away  to  somebody." 

"  I  know  what  I'm  about,"  said  Mr.  Dodds  with 
conviction.  "  I'm  not  goin'  to  get  on  while  I've 
got  this  about  me.  I'm  just  goin'  round  to  the 
'  Bull's  Head,'  but  I  sha'n't  drink  anything  to 
speak  of  myself.  Anybody  that  likes  to  come 
t'ave  anything  at  my  expense  is  welcome." 

A  flattering  murmur,  which  was  music  to  Mr. 
Dodds'  ear,  arose  from  his  shipmates  as  they  went 
on  deck  and  hauled  the  boat  alongside.  The  boy 
was  first  in  her,  and  pulling  out  his  pockethand- 
kerchief  ostentatiously  wiped  a  seat  for  Mr.  Dodds. 

"  Understand,"  said  that  gentleman,  with  whom 
the  affair  of  the  half-sovereign  still  rankled,  '■'■your 
drink  is  shandygaff." 

*  *  *  45-  *  * 

They  returned  to  the  brig  at  eleven  o'clock, 
Mr.  Dodds  slumbering  peacefully  in  the  stern  of 
the  boat,  propped  up  on  either  side  by  Steve  and 
the  boy. 

His  sleep  was  so  profound  that  he  declined  to 
be  aroused,  and  was  hoisted  over  the  side  with 
infinite  difficulty  and  no  little  risk  by  his  ship- 
mates. 

"  Look  at  'im,"  said  Harry,  as  they  lowered  him 
down  the  forecastle.  "  What  'ud  ha'  become  of 
'im  if  we  hadn't  been  with  'im  ?  Where  would  'is 
money  ha'  been  ?  " 


MONEY-CHANGERS  21/ 

"  He'll  lose  it  as  sure  as  eggs  is  heggs,"  said 
Steve,  regarding  him  intently.  "  Bear  a  hand  to 
lift  'im  in  his  bunk,  Harry." 

Harry  complied,  their  task  being  rendered 
somewhat  difficult  by  a  slight  return  of  conscious- 
ness in  Mr.  Dodds'  lower  limbs,  which,  spreading 
themselves  out  fanwise,  defied  all  attempts  to  pack 
them  in  the  bunk. 

"  Let  'em  hang  out  then,"  said  Harry  savagely, 
wiping  a  little  mud  from  his  face.  "  Fancy  t/iat 
coming  in  for  a  fortin." 

"  'E  won't  'ave  it  long,"  said  the  cook,  shaking 
his  head. 

"  Wot  'e  wants  is  a  shock,"  said  Harry.  "  'Ow'd 
it  be  when  he  wakes  up  to  tell  'im  he's  lost  all  'is 
money?  " 

"  Wot's  the  good  o'  telling  'im,"  demanded  the 
cook,  "  when  'e's  got  it  in  his  pocket  ?  " 

"  Well,  let's  take  it  out,"  said  Pilchard.  "  I'll 
hide  it  under  my  piller,  and  let  him  think  he's  'ad 
his  pocket  picked." 

"  I  won't  'ave  nothing  to  do  with  it,"  said  Steve 
peremptorily,     "  I  don't  believe  in  sich  games." 

"Wot  do  you  think,  cook?"  inquired  Harry. 

"  I  don't  see  no  'arm  in  it,"  said  the  cook  slowly. 
"the  fright  might  do  'im  good,  p'raps." 

"  It  might  be  the  saving  of  'im,"  said  Harry. 
He  leaned  over  the  sleeping  seaman,  and,  gently 
inserting  his  fingers  in  his  breast-pocket,  drew  out 
the  canvas  bag.     "  There  it  is,  chaps,"   he  said 


2l8  MORE   CARGOES 

gayly ;  "  an'  I'll  give  'im  sich  a  fright  in  the  morn- 
ing as  he  won't  forget  in  a  'urry." 

He  retired  to  his  bunk,  and  placing  the  bag 
under  his  pillow,  was  soon  fast  asleep.  The  other 
men  followed  his  example,  and  Steve  extinguish- 
ing the  lamp,  the  forecastle  surrendered  itself  to 
sleep. 

At  five  o'clock  they  were  awakened  by  the  voice 
of  Mr.  Dodds.  It  was  a  broken,  disconnected  sort 
of  voice  at  first,  like  to  that  of  a  man  talking  in 
his  sleep ;  but  as  Mr.  Dodds'  head  cleared  his 
ideas  cleared  with  it,  and  in  strong,  forcible  lan- 
guage straight  from  the  heart  he  consigned  the 
eyes  and  limbs  of  some  person  or  persons  unknown 
to  every  variety  of  torment,  after  which,  in  a  voice 
broken  with  emotion,  he  addressed  himself  in 
terms  of  heart-breaking  sympathy. 

"  Shut  up,  Sam,"  said  Harry  in  a  sleepy  voice. 
"  Why  can't  you  go  to  sleep  ?  " 

"  Sleep  be  'anged,"  said  Mr.  Dodds  tearfully. 
"  I've  lorst  all  my  money." 

"  You're  dreamin',"  said  Harry  lightly  ;  "  pinch 
yourself." 

Mr.  Dodds,  who  had  a  little  breath  left  and  a 
few  words  still  comparatively  fresh,  bestowed  them 
upon  him. 

"  I  tell  you  you  haven't  lorst  it,"  said  Harry. 
"  Don't  you  remember  giving  it  to  that  red-'aired 
woman  with  a  baby  ?  " 

"  Wot  ?  "  said  the  astounded  Mr.  Dodds. 


MONEY-CHANGERS  2ig 

"  You  give  it  to  'er  an'  told  'er  to  buy  the  baby 
a  bun  with  it,"  continued  the  veracious  Mr. 
Pilchard. 

"  Told  'er  to  buy  the  baby  a  bun  with  it  ?  "  re- 
peated Mr.  Dodds  in  a  dazed  voice.     "  Told  'er 

to Wot  did  you  let  me  do  it  for  ?     Wot  was 

all  you  chaps  standin'  by  an'  doin'  to  let  me  go 
an'  do  it  for  ?  " 

"  We  did  arsk  you  not  to,"  said  Steve,  joining 
in  the  conversation. 

Mr.  Dodds  finding  language  utterly  useless  to 
express  his  burning  thoughts,  sat  down  and  madly 
smashed  at  the  table  with  his  fists. 

"  Wot  was  you  adoin'  to  let  me  do  it  ?  "  he 
demanded  at  length  of  the  boy.  "  You  ungrate- 
ful little  toad.  You  can  give  me  that  'arf-suvrin 
back,  d'ye  hear  ?  " 

"  I  can't,"  said  the  boy.  "  I  followed  your 
example,  and  give  it  to  the  red-'aired  woman  to 
buy  the  baby  another  bun  with." 

There  was  a  buzzing  noise  in  Mr.  Dodds'  head, 
and  the  bunks  and  their  grinning  occupants  went 
round  and  round. 

"  'Ere,  'old  up,  Sam,"  said  Pilchard,  shaking  him 
in  alarm.  "  It's  all  right ;  don't  be  a  fool.  I've 
got  the  money." 

Sam  stared  at  him  blankly. 

"  I've  got  the  money,"  repeated  the  seaman. 

Mr.  Dodds'  colour  came  back. 

"  How'd  you  get  it  ?  "  he  inquired. 


220  MORE   CARGOES 

"  I  took  it  out  of  your  pocket  last  night  just  to 
give  you  a  lesson,"  said  Harry  severely.  "  Don't 
you  never  be  so  silly  agin,  Sam." 

"  Gimme  my  money,"  said  Mr.  Dodds,  glaring 
at  him. 

"  You  might  ha'  lorst  it,  you  see,  Sam,"  con- 
tinued his  benefactor ;  "  if  /could  take  it,  anybody 
else  could.     Let  this  be  a  lesson  to  you." 

"  If   you  don't  gimme  my  money "  began 

Sam  violently. 

"  It's  no  good  trying  to  do  'im  a  kindness," 
said  Harry  to  the  others  as  he  turned  to  his  bunk. 
"  He  can  go  an'  lose  it  for  all  I  care." 

He  put  his  hand  in  his  bunk,  and  then  with  a 
sudden  exclamation  searched  somewhat  hastily 
amongst  the  bedding.  Mr.  Dodds,  watching  him 
with  a  scowl,  saw  him  take  every  article  separately 
out  of  his  bunk,  and  then  sink  down  appalled  on 
the  locker. 

"You've  took  it,  Sam  —  ain't  —  you?"  he 
gasped. 

"  Look  'ere,"  said  Mr.  Dodds,  with  ominous 
quietness,   "  when  you've  done  your  little  game." 

"It's  gone,"  said  Harry  in  a  scared  voice, 
"  somebody's  taken  it." 

"  Look  'ere,  'Arry,  give  'im  his  money,"  said 
Steve  impatiently ;  "  a  joke's  a  joke,  but  we  don't 
want  too  much  of  it." 

"  I  ain't  got  it,"  said  Harry  trembling.  "  Sure 
as  I  stand  'ere  it's  gone.     I  took  it  out  of  your 


MONEY-CHANGERS  221 

pocket,  and  put  it  under  my  piller.  You  saw  me, 
didn't  you,  Steve  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  I  told  you  not  to,"  said  Steve.  "  Let 
this  be  a  warning  to  you  not  to  try  and  teach 
lessons  to  people  wot  don't  want  'em." 

"  I'm  going  to  the  police-station  to  give  'im  in 
charge,"  said  Mr. Dodds  fiercely,  "that's  wot  I'm 
goin'  to  do." 

"  For  the  Lord's  sake  don't  do  that,  Sam,"  said 
Pilchard,  clutching  him  by  the  coat. 

"  'Arry  ain't  made  away  with  it,  Sam,"  said 
Steve.  "  I  saw  somebody  take  it  out  of  his  bunk 
while  he  was  asleep." 

"Why  didn't  you  stop  him?"  cried  Harry, 
starting  up. 

"  I  didn't  like  to  interfere,"  said  Steve  simply  ; 
"  but  I  saw  where  he  went  to." 

"  Where  ? "  demanded  Mr.  Dodds  wildly. 
"  Where  ?  " 

"  He  went  straight  up  on  deck,"  said  Steve 
slowly,  "  walked  aft,  and  then  down  into  the 
cabin.  The  skipper  woke  up,  and  I  heard  'im 
say  something  to  him." 

"  Say  something  to  'im  ?  "  repeated  the  bewil- 
dered Dodds.     "  Wot  was  it  ?  " 

"Well,  I  'ardly  like  to  repeat  it,"  said  Steve 
hesitating. 

"Wot  was  it?"  roared  the  overwrought  Mr. 
Dodds. 

"  Well,  I   'eard   this  chap   say  something,"  said 


222  MORE   CARGOES 

Steve  slowly,  "  and  then  I  heard  the  skipper's 
voice.  But  I  don't  like  to  repeat  wot  'e  said,  I 
reely  don't." 

"  Wot  was  it  ?  "  roared  Mr.  Dodds,  approaching 
him  with  clenched  fist, 

"  Well,  if  you  will  have  it,"  said  Steve  with  a 
little  cough,  "  the  old  man  said  to  me,  'Well  done, 
Steve,'  he  ses,  '  you're  the  only  sensible  man  of 
the  whole  bilin'  lot,  Sam's  a  fool,  'e  ses,  and 
'Arry's  worse,  an'  if  it  wasn't  for  men  like  you, 
Steve,  life  wouldn't  be  worth  living.'  " 


THE  LOST  SHIP 

On  a  fine  spring  morning  in  the  early  part  of 
the  present  century,  Tetby,  a  small  port  on  the 
east  coast,  was  keeping  high  holiday.  Tradesmen 
left  their  shops,  and  labourers  their  work,  and 
flocked  down  to  join  the  maritime  element 
collected  on  the  quay. 

In  the  usual  way  Tetby  was  a  quiet,  dull  little 
place,  clustering  in  a  tiny  heap  of  town  on  one  side 
of  the  river,  and  perching  in  scattered  red-tiled 
cottages  on  the  cliffs  of  the  other. 

Now,  however,  people  were  grouped  upon  the 
stone  quay,  with  its  litter  of  fish-baskets  and  coils 
of  rope,  waiting  expectantly,  for  to-day  the  largest 
ship  ever  built  in  Tetby,  by  Tetby  hands,  was  to 
start  upon  her  first  voyage. 

As  they  waited,  discussing   past  Tetby  ships, 

their  builders,  their  voyages,  and  their  fate,  a  small 

piece  of  white  sail  showed  on  the  noble  barque 

from  her  moorings  up  the  river.     The  groups  on 

the  quay  grew  animated  as  more  sail  was  set,  and 

in  a  slow  and  stately  fashion  the  new  ship  drew 

near.     As  the  light  breeze  took  her  sails  she  came 

faster,  sitting  the  water   like   a   duck,   her  lofty 

masts  tapering  away  to  the  sky  as  they  broke 

through  the  white  clouds  of  canvas.     She  passed 

223 


224  MOKE   CARGOES 

within  ten  fathoms  of  the  quay,  and  the  men 
cheered  and  the  women  held  their  children  up  to 
wave  farewell,  for  she  was  manned  from  captain 
to  cabin-boy  by  Tetby  men,  and  bound  for  the 
distant  southern  seas. 

Outside  the  harbour  she  altered  her  course  some- 
what and  bent,  like  a  thing  of  life,  to  the  wind 
blowing  outside.  The  crew  sprang  into  the  rig- 
ging and  waved  their  caps,  and  kissed  their  grimy 
hands  to  receding  Tetby.  They  were  answered 
by  rousing  cheers  from  the  shore,  hoarse  and  mas- 
culine, to  drown  the  lachrymose  attempts  of  the 
women. 

They  watched  her  until  their  eyes  were  dim, 
and  she  was  a  mere  white  triangular  speck  on  the 
horizon.  Then,  like  a  melting  snowflake,  she 
vanished  into  air,  and  the  Tetby  folk,  some  envy- 
ing the  bold  mariners,  and  others  thankful  that 
their  lives  were  cast  upon  the  safe  and  pleasant 
shore,  slowly  dispersed  to  their  homes. 

Months  passed,  and  the  quiet  routine  of  Tetby 
went  on  undisturbed.  Other  crafts  came  into 
port,  and,  discharging  and  loading  in  an  easy, 
comfortable  fashion,  sailed  again.  The  keel  of 
another  ship  was  being  laid  in  the  shipyard,  and 
slowly  the  time  came  round  when  the  return  of 
Tetby  s  Pride,  for  so  she  was  named,  might  be 
reasonably  looked  for. 

It  was  feared  that  she  might  arrive  in  the  night 
— the  cold   and   cheerless  night,  when  wife    and 


IHE    LOST   SHIP  225 

child  were  abed,  and  even  if  roused  to  go  down  on 
to  the  quay,  would  see  no  more  of  her  than  her 
sideHghts  staining  the  water,  and  her  dark  form 
steaHng  cautiously  up  the  river.  They  would 
have  her  come  by  day.  To  see  her  first  on  that 
horizon,  into  which  she  had  dipped  and  vanished. 
To  see  her  come  closer  and  closer,  the  good,  stout 
ship  seasoned  by  southern  seas  and  southern  suns, 
with  the  crew  crowding  the  sides  to  gaze  at  Tetby, 
and  see  how  the  children  had  grown. 

But  she  came  not.  Day  after  day  the  watchers 
waited  for  her  in  vain.  It  was  whispered  at 
length  that  she  was  overdue,  and  later  on,  but 
only  by  those  who  had  neither  kith  nor  kin  aboard 
of  her,  that  she  was  missing. 

Long  after  all  hope  had  gone  wives  and  moth- 
ers, after  the  manner  of  their  kind,  watched  and 
waited  on  the  cheerless  quay.  One  by  one  they 
stayed  away,  and  forgot  the  dead  to  attend  to  the 
living.  Babes  grew  into  sturdy,  ruddy-faced  boys 
and  girls,  boys  and  girls  into  young  men  and 
women,  but  no  news  of  the  missing  ship,  no 
word  from  the  missing  men.  Slowly  year  suc- 
ceeded year,  and  the  lost  ship  became  a  legend. 
The  man  who  had  built  her  was  old  and  gray,  and 
time  had  smoothed  away  the  sorrows  of  the 
bereaved. 

It  was  on  a  dark,  blustering  September  night 
that  an  old  woman  sat  by  her  fire  knitting.  The 
fire  was  low,  for  it  was  more  for  the  sake  of  com- 
IS 


226  MORE   CARGOES 

pany  than  warmth,  and  it  formed  an  agreeable 
contrast  to  the  wind  which  whistled  round  the 
house,  bearing  on  its  wings  the  sound  of  the  waves 
as  they  came  crashing  ashore. 

"  God  help  those  at  sea  to-night,"  said  the  old 
woman  devoutly,  as  a  stronger  gust  than  usual 
shook  the  house. 

She  put  her  knitting  in  her  lap  and  clasped  her 
hands,  and  at  that  moment  the  cottage  door 
opened.  The  lamp  flared  and  smoked  up  the 
chimney  with  the  draught,  and  then  went  out. 
As  the  old  woman  rose  from  her  seat  the  door 
closed. 

"  Who's  there  ?  "  she  cried  nervously. 

Her  eyes  were  dim  and  the  darkness  sudden, 
but  she  fancied  she  saw  something  standing  by 
the  door,  and  snatching  a  spill  from  the  mantel- 
piece she  thrust  it  into  the  fire,  and  relit  the 
lamp. 

A  man  stood  on  the  threshold,  a  man  of  middle 
age,  with  white  drawn  face  and  scrubby  beard. 
His  clothes  were  in  rags,  his  hair  unkempt,  and 
his  light  grey  eyes  sunken  and  tired. 

The  old  woman  looked  at  him,  and  waited  for 
him  to  speak.  When  he  did  so  he  took  a  step  to- 
wards her,  and  said — 

"  Mother ! " 

With  a  great  cry  she  threw  herself  upon  his 
neck  and  strained  him  to  her  withered  bosom,  and 
kissed  him.     She  could  not  believe  her  eyes,  her 


THE   LOST   SHIP  22/ 

senses,  but  clasped  him  convulsively,  and  bade 
him  speak  again,  and  wept,  and  thanked  God,  and 
laughed  all  in  a  breath. 

Then  she  remembered  herself,  and  led  him  tot- 
tering to  the  old  Windsor  chair,  thrust  him  in  it, 
and  quivering  with  excitement  took  food  and 
drink  from  the  cupboard  and  placed  before  him. 
He  ate  hungrily,  the  old  woman  watching  him, 
and  standing  by  his  side  to  keep  his  glass  filled 
with  the  home-brewed  beer.  At  times  he  would 
have  spoken,  but  she  motioned  him  to  silence  and 
bade  him  eat,  the  tears  coursing  down  her  aged 
cheeks  as  she  looked  at  his  white  famished  face. 

At  length  he  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork,  and 
drinking  off  the  ale,  intimated  that  he  had  finished. 

"  My  boy,  my  boy,"  said  the  old  woman  in  a 
broken  voice,  "  I  thought  you  nad  gone  down  with 
Tetbys  Pride  long  years  ago." 

He  shook  his  head  heavily. 

"  The  captain  and  crew,  and  the  good  ship," 
asked  his  mother.     "Where  are  they?" 

"■  Captain  —  and  —  crew,"  said  the  son,  in  a 
strange  hesitating  fashion ;  "  it  is  a  long  story — 
the  ale  has  made  me  heavy.     They  are " 

He  left  off  abruptly  and  closed  his  eyes. 

"  Where  are  they  ?  "  asked  his.  mother.  "  What 
happened  ?  " 

He  opened  his  eyes  slowly. 

"  I — am — tired — dead  tired..  I  have  not — slept. 
I'll  tell — you — morning." 


228  MORE   CARGOES 

He  nodded  again,  and  the  old  woman  shook 
him  gently. 

**  Go  to  bed  then.  Your  old  bed,  Jem.  It's  as 
you  left  it,  and  it's  made  and  the  sheets  aired. 
It's  been  ready  for  you  ever  since." 

He  rose  to  his  feet,  and  stood  swaying  to  and 
fro.  His  mother  opened  a  door  in  the  wall,  and 
taking  the  lamp  lighted  him  up  the  steep  wooden 
staircase  to  the  room  he  knew  so  well.  Then  he 
took  her  in  his  arms  in  a  feeble  hug,  and  kissing 
her  on  the  forehead  sat  down  wearily  on  the  bed. 

The  old  woman  returned  to  her  kitchen,  and 
falling  upon  her  knees  remained  for  some  time  in 
a  state  of  grateful,  pious  ecstasy.  When  she  arose 
she  thought  of  those  other  women,  and,  snatching 
a  shawl  from  its  peg  behind  the  door,  ran  up  the 
deserted  street  with  her  tidings. 

In  a  very  short  time  the  town  was  astir.  Like 
a  breath  of  hope  the  whisper  flew  from  house  to 
house.  Doors  closed  for  the  night  were  thrown 
open,  and  wondering  children  questioned  their 
weeping  mothers.  Blurred  images  of  husbands 
and  fathers  long  since  given  over  for  dead  stood 
out  clear  and  distinct,  smiling  with  bright  faces 
upon  their  dear  ones. 

At  the  cottage  door  two  or  three  people  had 
already  collected,  and  others  were  coming  up  the 
street  in  an  unwonted  bustle. 

They  found  their  way  barred  by  an  old  woman 
— a  resolute  old  woman,  her  face  still  working 


THE   LOST   SHIP  229 

with  the  great  joy  which  had  come  into  her  old 
Hfe,  but  who  refused  them  admittance  until  her 
son  had  slept.  Their  thirst  for  news  was  uncon- 
trollable, but  with  a  swelling  in  her  throat  she 
realised  that  her  share  in  Tetbys  Pride  was  safe. 

Women  who  had  waited,  and  got  patient  at  last 
after  years  of  waiting,  could  not  endure  these  ad- 
ditional few  hours.  Despair  was  endurable,  but 
suspense !  "  Ah,  God  !  Was  their  man  alive  ? 
What  did  he  look  like  !     Had  he  aged  much  ?  " 

"  He  was  so  fatigued  he  could  scarce  speak," 
said  she.  She  had  questioned  him,  but  he  was 
unable  to  reply.  Give  him  but  till  the  dawn,  and 
they  should  know  all. 

So  they  waited,  for  to  go  home  and  sleep  was 
impossible.  Occasionally  they  moved  a  little  way 
up  the  street,  but  never  very  far,  and  gathering  in 
small  knots  excitedly  discussed  the  great  event. 
It  came  to  be  understood  that  the  rest  of  the  crew 
had  been  cast  away  on  an  uninhabited  island,  it 
could  be  nothing  else,  and  would  doubtlessly  soon 
be  with  them;  all  except  one  or  two  perhaps, 
who  were  old  men  when  the  ship  sailed,  and  had 
probably  died  in  the  mean  time.  One  said  this  in 
the  hearing  of  an  old  woman  whose  husband,  if 
alive,  would  be  in  extreme  old  age,  but  she  smiled 
peacefully,  albeit  her  lip  trembled,  and  said  she 
only  expected  to  hear  of  him,  that  was  all. 

The  suspense  became  alm.ost  unendurable. 
"  Would  this  man  never  awake  ?     Would  it  never 


230  MORE   CARGOES 

be  dawn  ?  "  The  children  were  chilled  with  the 
wind,  but  their  elders  would  scarcely  have  felt 
an  Arctic  frost.  With  growing  impatience  they 
waited,  glancing  at  times  at  two  women  who  held 
themselves  somewhat  aloof  from  the  others ;  two 
women  who  had  married  again,  and  whose  second 
husbands  waited,  awkwardly  enough,  with  them. 

Slowly  the  weary  windy  night  wore  away,  the 
old  woman,  deaf  to  their  appeals,  still  keeping  her 
door  fast.  The  dawn  was  not  yet,  though  the 
oft-consulted  watches  announced  it  near  at  hand. 
It  was  very  close  now,  and  the  watchers  collected 
by  the  door.  It  was  undeniable  that  things  were 
seen  a  little  more  distinctly.  One  could  see  better 
the  grey,  eager  faces  of  his  neighbours. 

They  knocked  upon  the  door,  and  the  old 
woman's  eyes  filled  as  she  opened  it  and  saw 
those  faces.  Unasked  and  unchid  they  invaded 
the  cottage  and  crowded  round  the  door. 

"  I  will  go  up  and  fetch  him,"  said  the  old 
woman. 

If  each  could  have  heard  the  beating  of  the 
other's  hearts,  the  noise  would  have  been  deafen- 
ing, but  as  it  was  there  was  complete  silence, 
except  for  some  overwrought  woman's  sob. 

The  old  woman  opened  the  door  leading  to  the 
room  above,  and  with  the  slow,  deliberate  steps 
of  age  ascended  the  stairs,  and  those  below  heard 
her  calling  softly  to  her  son. 

Two  or  three  minutes  passed  and  she  was  heard 


THE   LOST   SHIP  23! 

descending  the  stairs  again — alone.  The  smile, 
the  pity,  had  left  her  face,  and  she  seemed  dazed 
and  strange. 

"  I  cannot  wake  him,"  she  said  piteously.  "  He 
sleeps  so  sound.  He  is  fatigued.  I  have  shaken 
him,  but,  he  still  sleeps." 

As  she  stopped,  and  looked  appealingly  round, 
the  other  old  woman  took  her  hand,  and  pressing 
it  led  her  to  a  chair.  Two  of  the  men  sprang 
quickly  up  the  stairs.  They  were  absent  but  a 
short  while,  and  then  they  came  down  like  men 
bewildered  and  distraught.  No  need  to  speak. 
A  low  wail  of  utter  misery  rose  from  the  women, 
and  was  caught  up  and  repeated  by  the  crowd 
outside,  for  the  only  man  who  could  have  set 
their  hearts  at  rest  had  escaped  the  perils  of  the 
deep,  and  died  quietly  in  his  bed. 


THE  END. 


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